Stranger Than You Dreamt It
by secret.arcade
Summary: If you could wake up and do things a little differently what would you change? Christine Daae chose Raoul and made a horrible mistake, but then she woke up from her dream to the night of her debut. And everything you know about Phantom is about to change.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is based on the 2004 movie The Phantom of the Opera, with some influences from Leroux's book (I do not own anything Phantom of the Opera related). Because I am taking a psychology class and learning about the unconscious mind and dreaming an interesting thought played in my head; What if Christine dreamt the whole entire thing and then woke up? Would her knowing how the story could play out would she have done things differently? It is actually suggested that in dreaming we may have premonitions, and I can honestly say that I had a dream before and the exact events in the dream happened the next day. I have absolutely NO idea where this story is going and I'm not sure if I want to keep it serious or throw in a little comedy because it seems to have tremendous potential to be a comical plot. **

**If I get enough reviews for this story I'll continue posting. It just seemed like an interesting idea to me. But I will not be updating this story too often because I am currently engrossed in writing my other story Passion Play: The Man Behind the Mask. That story will always be a priority for me to write, this one just seemed really fun to do.**

**let me know what you think of this first chapter! enjoy!**

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**Christine's POV**

"_**It's over now the music of the night!"**_

Those were the last words I heard from Erik as Raoul rowed the gondola around the corner towards the exit of the lair. My angel of music had been The Phantom of the Opera for all these years. Angel, phantom, murderer, but most of all he was a man who loved alone. I clung myself to Raoul as tight as possibly in belief that it would dissipate all the guilt I felt for the decision I had just made but it didn't. I tried to focus on pacing my breathing and hushing my urge to cry. Then all of the sudden a loud crash echoed through the catacombs. This frightened me and caused me to jump shaking the boat as a result. Raoul tried to keep it balanced by holding on tightly to the pole. Once it was balanced he placed his arm around me.

"Christine what is the matter?"

Then two more loud crashes sounded through the cellar when I realized it had to have been Erik. My poor Erik was breaking something because no one would listen; he was alone forever now. Each crash was a blow to my heart causing me to realize the damage I had done, and the horrifying realization that this was the end of the music of the night; it was the end of my soul! I couldn't contain myself anymore and the waterworks had begun. The tears endlessly began to flow down my cheeks.

"Christine! My love what is wrong!" Raoul worriedly asked.

"I-It's all my f-fault!" I choked.

Raoul expressed a look of discomfort, "Christine it's not your fault. Nothing is your fault. He did what was right and gave us our life back Christine. Whatever that man must endure is self inflicted. He chose this fate for himself."

"N-No! I-I could've stopped it! It c-can't do this!"

"Can't do what Christine? What is it that you can't do? We can't do anything for him."

The truth finally sank beneath my skin and circulated throughout my entire body. I could feel it coursing through my veins and settle deep within my lungs until it made its way up to the back of my throat and came through my lips, "I can't live without him."

Raoul's face was nothing but astonished.

"I'm sorry."

I stepped off of the boat and into the water and started making my way back to Erik.

"CHRISTINE!" Raoul jumped off and came after me.

I desperately tried to move faster.

"Erik! Erik please come back!" I screamed but then a hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled me beneath the water. I swallowed a mouthful of the green water and tried to make it back to the surface but a strong force had maintained its pressure on me forcing me to stay beneath the surface. I now felt two hands grasping each of my ankles and pulling me down. In the midst of all the chaos I could remember the water had only been as high as my knees but somehow I was being dragged what seemed like hundreds of feet underwater. I began to scream as the light from the surface dimmed. When I could scream no longer and all felt the last of my oxygen seep from my lungs I knew it wouldn't be long before I was dead. My entire life flashed through my head, and the last thing that entered my mind was Erik.

Everything went black.

I don't know how long I was in this blackness but someone's voice, a girl, called my name.

"Christine!" I faintly heard her. "Oh Christine please wake up! Wake up!"

Then I felt the sensation of me ascending through the depths of the lake water overcome me. I could sense light getting brighter through my closed eyelids. When I had finally broke through the surface I gasped for air and opened my eyes.

Madame Giry and Meg were hovering over me.

"Christine! Thank God! We thought you were having a heart attack!" Meg's face lit up and gave the biggest smile.

I was confused. What had happened? I was making my way to Erik when Raoul tried to drown me!

"Where's Raoul!" I looked around to find that I was in the dancer's residence of the opera house and that I was lying on Meg's bed.

"Who's Raoul?" A look of confusion spread across Meg's face. How could she not know who Raoul was?

"R-Raoul….DeChangey…?" I waited for her to remember but no recollection took place in her.

"Um, no I'm sorry Christine I don't know where Raoul is….is that what your dream was about?" she asked slightly concerned.

"My dream?" No…this could not have been happening.

"Yeah….you had quite the nightmare Christine, people were getting scared because…well you wouldn't wake up." Meg sheepishly replied.

Oh no. No, no, no, no, _no_. Exactly how long _was_ I dreaming then! Was it all a dream! Raoul? The Masquerade? _Erik? _I had to be sure….

"Madame Giry….?" I tried to retain any sanity I felt within me as I began to speak.

"Yes my dear?" she sat on the mattress next to me and stroked my face in a motherly gesture.

"What day is it?" I asked her. I needed to make sense of time.

"Today is the last rehearsal for _**Hannibal **_before the show starts later tonight." She simply answered.

Oh my God….

"Yeah, which is why it was _really _lucky that you decided to wake up in time for rehearsal; without you the whole dance would be off." Meg added.

I felt utterly consumed by _insanity_….if today was the last rehearsal for _**Hannibal**_ then that could only mean that I had dreamt of everything.

"Christine, why are you crying?" Meg questioned. I didn't even notice the small tears streaking down my face. I quickly wiped them away. "You must've had really bad nightmares…."

All I could do was nod as I hid my face into my hands. It was all so surreal.

"Come Christine. You and Meg need to get dressed in your costumes for rehearsal. The manager says he would like everyone to be on stage in an hour for an important announcement."

What Madame Giry had just said had caused goose bumps to spread across my body. I slowly sat up and looked at her.

"Why? Is he retiring and moving to Australia?" I probed.

Madame Giry gave me a look of question, "I am not sure….but we shall see when he makes his announcement. Come now let us make haste."

I slowly stood up and felt as if I had weighed fifty pounds lighter than I should have. I followed Meg to the dressing rooms and got ready. So far everything seemed normal. Carlotta sang just as horrible as usual; I think my dream gave her voice a little more justice. Then the manager walked on stage with two men following behind him. One tall with a pompous hairstyle, the other man was rather short with gray wires for hair pointing in every direction.

"_Please don't say those two men are the new managers…." _Was all I could repeat in my thoughts.

Everyone applauded at the arrival of the two new managers. I felt sick to my stomach, but I could only anticipate what would happen next….and secretly I didn't want it to.

"And we are deeply honored to introduce our new patron…" Monsieur Firmin began.

God, no…please.

"The Vicomte DeChangey!"


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm sorry this took awhile to get up. I've been busy writing my other story and school is always demanding. Also, because of the number of reviews I had received for this, I really wanted to add a greater depth into the story/plot and I think I came up with something that will make you phans really happy (I hope...I know when I thought of it I was bursting with joy at such a wondrous idea). I watched the movie a bunch of times to figure out what I wanted to change and decide what the critical events were in the story. Again, this is based off of the 2004 movie, with some influences from Leroux, the musical, and I'm not _really_ sure yet but possibly Love Never Dies. If I do decide to use LND it will only be very little, and of course my own twists to the characters as well :)**

**A/N: due to the fact that Christine is now catching on and she kind of knows what to expect, I will be altering lyrics (not too much) and relocating them in different areas because I felt it'd be more appropriate (keep in mind Christine has already dreamt everything, music, lyrics, so she'd be able to sing something out of time if she wanted) it's not bad at all though, I promise :)**

**okay, enough ranting, and happy reading!**

**and for you E/C fans...trust me, I ordered six Fed-Ex trucks of fluff, fluff, FLUFF...the shipment will be arriving soon ;]**

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**Christine's POV**

This couldn't be happening.

"Christine…is that who you were talking about? Rall?"

"It's…Raoul." I corrected, "B-before my father died on the house by the sea…I guess you could say we were…knew each other."

"Christine he's so handsome!" Meg whispered excitedly.

Yes, he was handsome but also tried to drown me. I started to feel myself getting a headache. Everything I had dreamt was happening right now and it was nearly exact. After Raoul had finished making his introduction to everyone he walked right by me.

"He _still_ didn't see me." I muttered. I remembered this in my dream. He wasn't even fazed by my presence.

"What're you talking about Christine? This is the first time you've seen him in years! Perhaps he didn't see you." Meg comforted. It sure didn't feel like I hadn't seen him in years.

It was hard to dance with thoughts filling up my mind. Could it really be I saw into the future? I began to recall what happened in my dream. What was going to happen next?

"All dey want is de danceeng!"

Carlotta; she was next.

"I hope a- he iz az excited about danceeng girlz az your new managerz…becaz I WILL NOT BE SEENGING!"

I shook my head in disagreement. Everything…everything was happening, but then that could only mean that _He_ was here somewhere right now watching.

After the two new managers started groveling Carlotta agreed to give a preview of Act 3 from _**Hannibal**_.

"Meg…take three steps back."

"Why?"

"Let's just give Carlotta more space."

Out of nowhere a back drop fell right on top of Carlotta causing her to fall to the stage. The whole thing had caused a commotion.

"It's him…the Phantom of the Opera." Meg was undoubtedly right; I knew that now.

After Carlotta left Madame Giry walked over to the new managers with a note in hand.

"I have a message sir from the Opera Ghost-"

"Oh God in heaven you're all obsessed!'

"He welcomes you to his opera house-"

"_His _opera house!"

"And asks that you continue to leave box five to be empty for his use, and reminds you that his salary is due."

"His _salary!_"

I started to realize that this was all for me; Erik planned all of this so I could sing on the stage…but was it really going to happen? Everything in my dream had played out so far, but would it really go as far as to me singing in Carlotta's place? No…not even that would happen; there had to be things in that dream that wouldn't come true, and this was probably one of them.

"Christine Daae could sing it sir." My heart stopped dead in my chest.

"What a chorus girl? Don't be silly."

"She has been taking lessons from a great teacher." Madame Giry knew! How did I not see this all before?

"Who?" Andre asked me.

"Eri…I-I don't know his name monsieur…" I almost said his name! Then it struck me that this was all real, and Erik was the Phantom of the Opera and my Angel of Music…my Angel of Music for all these years, and I needed him.

"Let her sing for you monsieur. She has been well taught." Madame Giry confirmed.

The managers gestured me downstage.

"From the beginning of the aria then please mademoiselle."

Tonight's performance would be for Erik, and no one else. Exactly as the dream went I performed in place of Carlotta, and it felt absolutely wonderful standing on stage while the audience applauded. All I wanted to do was go to my dressing room.

The moment Madame Giry left the room I looked at the mirror, was he there now?

"Angel of Music…" I cooed, "Are you with me?"

"_**Yes…**_" Erik's voice filled the air all around me, but then sent chills throughout by body; even though everything that happened in my dream had happened so far…how would I even know that Erik looked the way he did in my dream? Seeing Raoul was one thing, but it occurred to me that I had never even _seen_ what Erik looked like…how did I even know his name was Erik?

"Little Lotte let her mind wander…"

I turned around to see Raoul walk in holding a bouquet of flowers, "Oh, Raoul…"

"Little Lotte thought am I fonder of dolls or shoes? Or of riddles or frocks?" he waited for me to say the next verse, but I didn't, "Or of chocolates?"

"That…that was a long time ago." I finally managed to get out.

He smiled at this, "Yes, the violin would be playing as we read to each other dark stories of the north."

"My father played the violin Raoul."

"Yes, of course."

This was so _weird. _I had to test this out for myself.

"Raoul, could you perhaps do me a favor?"

"Anything you'd like Little Lotte." He flashed his teeth with a big smile.

"Could you stand in the center of the room?"

"Okay..." he was confused but did so anyways, "Now what?"

"Umm…take off your shoes."

He gave me an inquisitive look, "Christine, I don't see the point in this."

"Please Raoul, for me?" at this he obediently untied his shoes and placed them on the floor after taking them off.

"Can I put them back on now so that we may go to dinner?"

How strange…I could _change_ things that were supposed to happen…at least I think to some extent.

"Christine?"

"Hmm?" I glanced back at him.

"So now may we go to dinner?" he asked.

Things like; I could make Raoul take off his shoes but not stop him from stubbornly asking me to go to dinner with him.

"No."

"But…why ever not?" the smile from his face dropped in disappointment.

"I don't feel well...I think I'm sick, and even if I did agree it probably wouldn't happen."

"What makes you say that?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"It just…I'm tired." I wanted Raoul to leave because if this supernatural occurrence kept up its performance I _knew _what was to come next and it was one of the best parts of my dreaming.

"Christine please, it's been years since I've seen you! Let me take you out to dinner."

He wasn't going to give this up; he didn't in my dream, "Fine."

"Really?" his face lit up.

"Yes Raoul, I'll go to dinner with you. Go get your…horses."

He bolted to the door, "Two minutes Little Lotte! And Christine?"

"Yes?"

"You sang like an angel tonight." Grinning he closed the door behind him.

I quickly got up to change out of my costume, and surely enough when I was done changing Erik had not let me down; all of the candles went out but I didn't head for the door this time.

"_**Insolent boy this slave of fashion! Basking in your glory! Ignorant fool this brave young suitor! Sharing in my triumph!"**_

I couldn't help a small smile, but I had to know if this was Erik from my dream.

"_**Angel or father, friend or Phantom; who is it there staring? Angel oh please, what endless longings, enter at last master."**_

"_**Flattering child you shall know me, see why in shadow I hide. Look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside!" **_

Surely when I looked in the mirror my reflection slowly disappeared to reveal a cloaked man dressed in black with a white mask to cover half of his face. I could feel my heart racing as he sang for me to come closer and when he offered his hand to me I grasped it wholeheartedly.

"_**In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came. That voice which calls to me, and speaks my name. If I should dream again I'm sure to find, the Phantom of the Opera is there! Inside my mind…"**_

"_**Sing once again with me our strange duet! My power over you grows stronger yet and though you turn from me to glance behind, the Phantom of the Opera is there! Inside your mind…"**_

"_**Those who have seen your face draw back in fear. I am the mask you wear…"**_

"_**It's me they hear…"**_

"_**Your spirit and my voice in one combined, the Phantom of the Opera is there! Inside my mind…"**_

"_**In all your fantasies you always knew that man and mystery…"**_

"_**Were both in you…"**_

"_**And in his labyrinth, when night is blind the Phantom of the Opera is there! Inside my mind…" **_

"_**Sing my Angel of Music!" **_

Oh how I sang for him. I wanted to do nothing more. It was Erik mind, body, and soul. He looked exactly the same in my dream though I had never seen him before! This brought me nothing but absolute sheer and utter joy.

Just as I had dreamt he began to sing for me our beautiful Music of the Night. When he sang this to me in my reverie it was no doubt the most sensual feeling I had ever felt posses my body. I feared that it would not feel the same when Erik began to sing to me but I was wrong…it was a thousand times better. When he placed his hands around my waist I shuddered; how it teased my body to feel him against me. I turned around to face him when he led me to a mirror image of me wearing a wedding dress. It was the wedding dress I had worn when we came down here after Don Juan Triumphant. I turned around and looked into his eyes. It was hard to believe he could kill anyone when I saw nothing but adoration in his blue-green eyes. If I loved him could I stop the deaths that happened? I leaned into his chest and took in scent of his sweet cologne. I could feel his arms wrap around me.

"Oh Christine it is quite late." He whispered musically into my ear. He lifted me up and carried me to his luxurious bed with a golden swan as the frame. Everything was truly real, but that meant I didn't have time to just not do anything.

"Erik wait-" he froze as he set me down upon the mattress.

"H-how do you know my name?" he was beyond shocked and his face grew pale. I had forgotten that he still thought I believed he was my Angel of Music. In my dream Erik and I had always gotten close but it seemed something pulled us apart and we never had the chance to talk. I couldn't let that happen now. I wanted to tell Erik everything about my dream, but how much could I reveal to him?

"You'd never believe me…"

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**I don't really know if I should do Erik's POV at some point...I'll leave that up to you guys to decide :) R&R! **


	3. Chapter 3

**your reviews mean so much to me. you all have no idea. honestly writing this chapter drained me a bit, because playing with this idea is actually trickier than I thought it'd be. I had to rethink and retype a bunch of reactions, and on top of that those reactions having to belong to Erik (who we all know is emotionally complex). I really wanted to get Erik's emotions and thoughts correct, he has such a vast memory for pain and writers like to add to him and whenever I read someone else's FF it just makes me realize how all over the place the Erik's mind can really be. so I kind of said all these lines out loud and even used some method acting techniques to try and get it as "Erik" as possible. Everyone's Erik's in their stories vary, so I just really hope you find "this" Erik agreeable. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Please please please R&R, and I LOVE suggestions. P.S: hope there wasn't too much fluff, we have plenty of story time for that later haha ;)**

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_"it's holding me,_

_morphing me,_

_and forcing me to strive,_

_to be endlessly cold within,_

_and dreaming I'm alive,_

_I want it now,_

_give me your heart and your soul,_

_I'm not breaking down,_

_I'm breaking out,_

_last chance to lose control..." -Matthew Bellamy_

**Erik's POV**

At first I was dumbfounded, but as my shock had slowly disappeared I felt a slight pang of fury burrowing inside of me and the deeper it dug the more apparent the answer became.

"You wouldn't believe me…" she spoke into her knees as she curled up on the mattress.

I racked through the possibilities in my mind and there was only one way she could've known my name. Was she really about to confess to me how my identity became known to her? Composing myself, I slowly pulled a chair next to the bed and sat beside her.

"Try me." I hissed while gripping the edges of the chair. _Let her explain Erik, yes, you love this girl, do not lose your temper…do not lose your temper…_I repeated this thought in my head over and over as I waited for her elucidation, but I only gripped the chair tighter."

"I- I don't know how to explain it…" her voice had grown uncertain. She avoided eye contact with me. Oh she didn't have to explain it to me. I already knew. I _knew _Madame Giry had told her! For it was only her, that furtive witch, who knew my name! _No…let Christine explain. Do not lose your temper Erik…_she would perhaps fess up to meeting with Madame Giry, but then what? _Do not lose your temper…_

"I was dreaming…" she began.

"And?" I pressed on. _Do not lose your temper…_

"I dreamt of you…you told me your name and…oh Erik horrible things happened!" there it was again, she spoke my name as if it were a routinely thing for her to say. Like a child, she curled into a ball and tucked her face between her knees. Hearing my name be called with such…such _familiarity _only added more wood to the fire.

"You mean to say that in this _dream _I told you my name…" _don't lose your temper…_

She drowning eyes looked up to meet my gaze only to twitch at the sight of me and look back down in fear and nod.

"You're right…I _don't _believe you." Her head immediately snapped up again.

"Erik-"

"DON'T CALL ME BY MY NAME!" I rose and tossed the chair across the room in my anger. She instantly recoiled away from me, and though it was natural instinct for any human to do so in belief of danger, I was deeply hurt by her reaction…she had talked to Madame Giry and she now surely knew what monstrosity lied behind this mask. "Do you think me naïve to believe such a…a _cover story_!"

"Cover story?" she wiped away her tears when I had said this. She was really going to attempt to fool me..._me!_

"Don't play coy with me Christine! How long? How long have you known!" I demanded her to tell me now.

"Known about what?" god- curse her and her innocent looking façade! She would not get away with this!

"This, Christine!" I violently pointed at my mask, "Is _that_ why you followed me tonight? Come to see it for yourself? You wish to take a look at the Devil's Child!" I screamed ruffling my fingers through my jet black hair. I couldn't help myself- I had planned for this night to be nothing but music and now it was a disaster! She had known this entire time and only came down here to torture me! Why else would such an angel follow a demon into his domain? I felt my heart sank below the level of my feet.

"Devil's Child? Erik you are no Devil's-"

"AGAIN WITH THE NAME!" there was nothing more for me to lose. God I was such a blind fool! "Don't act like you don't know! I know she's told you everything! Your sneaking backstabbing-"

"Please! No one's told me anything Erik, no one-"

"I KNOW MADAME GIRY TOLD YOU!" Why! Why did she insist to continue to _lie _me? True, I had posed as her Angel of Music but…but this was _cruel! _Yes, I was used to feeling every unhappiness in the world and words of disgust by its People, but with Christine I had felt a shard of hope that pricked my heart until it bled with my love for her. How could she allow me to believe she'd come here to learn to love my music and _me? _ She ruined everything! _**"DAMN YOU! You little prying-"**_

"'_**Prying Pandora'**_…" she quietly interrupted. Words of disdain wouldn't stop flowing from my mouth.

"_**You little-"**_

"'_**Demon'...this isn't how I want it to be…"**_ she again quietly said. I grew ever so frustrating! First she lies to me and now she won't even let my tongue indulge itself in spitting the words her fibs had rightfully deserved!

"_**Curse-"**_

"'_**Curse you, you little lying Delilah…you little viper'. How can I truly make you see?"**_ quiet tears streamed down her face as she stole the very thoughts that filled my mind. I had nothing more to throw at her in my anger.

"You took the very words from my mouth." I fumed.

"Madame Giry has told me _nothing, _and _I_ know nothing of whatever ties she has to you…Erik please, I tell you the truth! This dream-"

"Enough with this _pathetic _excuse 'dream' of yours-"

"It's not pathetic!" she cried in a state of desperation, "Erik, please…please I need you to believe me tonight…I came down here to be with you!"

If I wasn't angry before then this was the last nerve I had left within me. "YOU CAME DOWN HERE KNOWING I WAS A MONSTER! WHY ELSE WOULD YOU COME DOWN HERE TONIGHT!" I roared in her face as the waterworks continued. "You _pretended_ you believed in an Angel of Music and used your- your _voice_ to attract me in!" God such a clever, clever girl she really was. "Laugh Christine, you've well earned it! Well done! You know…you've truly done what no man or woman has ever been able to do before. Would you like to know what that his?" I was hysterical. She pleaded, God- the girl _pleaded _with her beautiful damnable eyes that spilt false dismal tears. "You have successfully ended the reign of the Opera Ghost. I refuse to be part of your damn amusement any longer-" I turned my back to her as unshed tears formed in my eyes.

"Erik, stop p-please-" I turned around when I heard her fall to the floor. Immediately I went to her side to help her up, god she had me wrapped around her finger!

"You're fucking good at this." I growled in her ear.

_Smack!_

I stepped back from Christine and pressed my hand to the handsome side of my face where she had slapped me. I blinked at her bewildered.

"Stop it! I told you that you wouldn't believe me and I trusted you! I have told you nothing but the truth. You have insulted me in every way imaginable and used such…foul words-" she winced at this causing me to feel a twinge of regret, though she may have tricked me, Christine was pure, and I felt disappointed in myself for stooping down to the use of an unintelligent vernacular. "…you've never said anything like that to me before."

I seized this opportunity to shove aside her attempt to justify herself. "Oh? What had I said to you before in this _dream? _Hmm Christine? 'Let us take a stroll in the daylight and have tea as we compliment each other on what great persons we are' was is something like that or was it something like this?" I shook a finger at the masked side of my face. "Perhaps you should have gone to dinner with that _boy._" I sneered.

"Exactly! Erik, I blew off Raoul so I could come down here with you-"

"Oh! So you can lead him here as well later so you could both feast off of my horrid existence? Yes, well you can bring that damn childhood friend of yours down here when-"

"Erik I came down here because I love you!" she collapsed to the ground and began to sob uncontrollably.

The words pulled my stomach backwards and paused the movement of air within my lungs. My face grew numb with shock. No one, not even my own flesh and blood _mother_, had ever addressed those words to me before. I was utterly flabbergasted to the point I couldn't respond…I didn't know how.

"Erik-k, I'm so s-sorry that I l-left you d-down here." She choked through her heavy tears. "I'm sorry I denied you! I don't w-want Raoul! He f-forced me to be Aminta-"

"What…did you just say?" my voice must've given away my being astonished because she quickly looked up.

"Yes! Erik your- your opera, _**Don Juan Triumphant-**_"

"I know what it's called!" I screeched. She granted me a moment's silence I needed to process what she had just said. Something Madame Giry or anyone for a matter of fact, did not know about was that I was indeed writing an opera that I had just began to write not so long ago. My opera, however, was plainly called _**Don Juan**_. I began to think if there were any other operas with 'Don Juan' in their title. Christine could've easily dreamtof something else…but she played the part of _Aminta…a character I had created._ I slowly met her gaze. Her eyes glistened with hope, but why? If she knew I held this ugly face _why_ would she…no- the more reasonable question was _how_ could she love someone, a monster, like me? Exactly, she couldn't. No one could. Therefore, I would not falter.

"Enough with this _dream_ of yours…it's nonsense."

"It's not nonsense-"

"You know not of the feelings you proclaimed to me. No one in their right mind would ever care for a…_creature_-"

"Erik you are no such thing!" she eyes started to swell with moisture again.

"Oh Christine!" I wailed as my knees crashed on the ground. Why? Why on earth was she doing this to me? Years of looking at her through the mirror with longing and adoration had pained me and now she was professing her…her _love. _She knew of my face! But oh, she had not seen it, and when she did she would surely flee the very sight of me! She was lying! She was lying to me! She wanted to pretend she was in love with me so I could reveal my face for her to jeer all she wanted! It had to be to only explanation! It was either that or….or she was truly in love with a _demon! _And all because of her_ stupid _dream! My frustration had caused tears to run down my nose as my head was bent down towards the ground.

"Erik-" Christine placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Go away!" I bawled. Desperately I reached into my jacket pocket until my hand wrapped itself around the handle of my pocket knife. I was going to end this malice in wonderland life of mine once and for all and she would be the one to do it.

"Erik what are you doing!" Christine shrieked. I jumped away from her with the blade stretched across my throat.

"Like I said earlier…" I regained some of my dark frontage back, "You, Christine Daae, have done what no other man or woman has ever done before: rid the world of the Phantom of the Opera. It is quite simple, you lie to me and I shall slit my throat before your feet _or_ if you decide to finally fess up to the truth that Madame Giry told you everything about me and I'll _reconsider, _what is the term? 'Offing' myself per se? - ah ha, no, mademoiselle must you come any closer otherwise I would have to spare you from conversing to a gargoyle such as myself." I didn't expect her to fess up, which was why I had made this deal in the first place. I wanted her to confirm she wanted me dead, because there was no way I could forgive her now.

Her eyes filled with absolute horror as I presented her decision. "You mustn't fret, you'll be rid of me soon, or rather…I'll be rid of you."

"Did nothing I say mean anything to you! Erik, please tell me that you still love me!" she begged.

"I never said such words to you!" I bellowed across the floor. This made her cry harder than she ever had all night long. Surely, no matter what Christine's intentions were, I would always love her with every drop of passion my life could ever leak for her.

"_**Close your eyes and surrender to you darkest dreams…**_isn't that what you told me? Or did you mean nothing of it?" How dare she! How dare she turn my music against me!

"I grow tired of your impudence…" I growled.

"I told you of my playing of Aminta…oh Erik I know you know there is no other way for me to know about that." It was true. There virtually was no other way she could've known about that, but everything else was overwhelmingly against her. I could not back down, especially now.

"Even if you did dream of such a thing it wouldn't…it wouldn't pr-"

"Prove my love." She finished quietly. It got so quiet that you could hear the water swirl in the lake. I evaluated her appearances in this amount of time. Her makeup was smeared and still in the process of being smeared as it had blended with the tears that slid down her cheeks effortlessly. Her eyes were puffy and…broken. No! _Turn away from her!_ But I couldn't stare away from this angelic looking woman. Oh Christine, why did you have to talk to Madame Giry? Why?

It was barely even a whisper. "Kiss me."

"What?" my voice was an octave higher in reaction to her ludicrous request.

"Let me prove my love…" she took a step closer to where I stood, and then another. "Kiss me Erik, please…" she closed the space between us as she carefully brought her body against mine. I could feel the effects of her proximity dissolving my animosity, I tried so hard to grasp on to whatever feeling of hostility I had left but it was too late. I was paralyzed. "…oh god Erik take this thing from your neck!" she pulled down my left arm that held the knife to my throat and then pressed her lips against mine.

My willpower crumbled at the touch of her lips. I was absolutely still; too busy absorbing the feeling of someone's mouth against my own. She parted her lips and gently molded them around my bottom lip forcing my mouth to slightly open to accept her invitation. "_Oh Christine is kissing me but why? Why was she so persistent to prove me wrong?"_ these faint thoughts were not strong enough to overcome this blissful moment. I could feel our tears merge together as we continued. Then with no warning, her tongue slid from her mouth and traced my bottom lip I Iet out a heavy sigh at this action and the knife that I still held slipped out of my left hand. The clinking of the metal impacting the floor caused Christine to look up at me with watery eyes. "Erik…" she whispered my name with such…_adoration_ as she lifted her right hand and cupped the handsome side of my face stroking it ever so slightly with her fingers. I closed my eyes and allowed her to touch me this way.

"_**I've seen you wait in the shadows…I've seen the face in the mask…" **_she gently sang. Then she pressed a soft kiss to the closed eyelid of the deformed side of my face. I instinctively flinched back and placed my right hand over the mask in case it might've fallen out of place.

"Erik, I will not remove your mask… something horribly always goes wrong-" the way she talked…was being absolutely serious, "But I have seen your face, and your appearance does not change my affections." She stood her ground as she said this. Christine, Mon Ange she was indeed. Though I would never admit it, she had indefinitely filled me with doubt.

"_**Wildly my mind beats against you, yet my soul obeys…" **_when I had echoed our haunting lullaby new tears began to sprout from the corners of her eyes. "I must go."

"Wh-Why?" Christine asked, as I got into the boat she tried to follow.

"No. I must speak to Madame Giry alone and see that you are true to your word." I began to row away from her. "Mon Ange, I will advise you not to go wandering around. The area is not safe to those unfamiliar with it. Where you currently stand is your sanctuary until I return." As I turned the corner I could hear her somber voice resonate through the catacombs…

"_**Angel of Music I denied you, turning from true beauty. Angel I fear my dreams won't shun me, cast to me your guidance…"**_

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**Since the first 2 chapters were in Christine's POV, I may just do the next chapter in Erik's, perhaps not...blehh idk. it can go either way. you guys tell me who you wanna hear from :)**

**A/N: I hope the lyric changes were appropriate and you approved, I'm so anal when it comes to lyric writing or messing around with them cause I hate "ruining" songs or whatever. So I hope I didn't do any damage to the music you love, that'd kill me O.o **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry for the extremely late update; many things happened. I admit I lost my muse for awhile..so I'm sorry if this chapter seems dry (I tried to make up for it at the end), and I also GOT A JOB AT PACSUN! finally haha. school has also been very demanding and I also have been busy recording my music in the studio! XD I'm so excited about it! But anyways, I kind of got another idea to add to this story to make things more...interesting...bwahaha. Well I hope you like the chapter! And I PROMISE the next one won't take nearly as long to post. love you guys! R&R! **

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_"so you invade my sleep,_

_and confuse my dreams,_

_turn my nights to sleepless itch,_

_stuck on you till the end of time,_

_I'm too tired to fight your rhyme,_

_stuck on you till the end of time,_

_you've got me paralyzed..." -Hayley Williams_

**Erik's POV**

My night was not going exactly planned. Honestly I was being thrust back and forth between emotional extremes. I wasn't able to watch Christine perform earlier this evening which drove me mad, but I had finally got her to replace Carlotta on the stage where she belonged and she sang beautifully. To my dismay, she hadn't gone to the chapel after the show for a quick voice lesson as we always did after each show but when I had gone to the dressing room she called out to me and smiled. Then that _boy _came strutting about the room insisting upon taking my Christine away for dinner, but she had dismissed him and followed me instead and sang with me our affair with music; causing my heart to melt. After we sing she tells me of this impractical _dream _that apparently holds my life story in the palm of her hands, and then she kissed me.

This was all too much to deal with in one night, and yet it was still not over. Madame Giry would no doubt be the determining factor for the outcome of this matter. She was surely awake. Every night she roamed the corridors after hours to ensure there were no shenanigans going about the theatre; other than me of course.

I made my way to the Heaven of the stage. Ironic was it not; that a demon such as myself would be in "Heaven", even if the "Heaven" was just stage hand vocabulary for the rafters?

I waited.

Then surely the entrance to the auditorium had opened to reveal Madame Giry with lantern in hand. Knowing she would check each box pier I went to usual box five and waited for her there. Eventually she came.

"Good evening." I spoke from the shadows. My voice echoed throughout the box.

She slightly jumped at the immediacy of my voice. "Erik."

I walked into the light of her lantern to ensure my presence. "You may sit down." I gestured her to one of the chairs.

Cautiously she sat down. She didn't take her eyes off me. "No letters? What brings me the honor of having you in my presence?"

"No letters for a matter like this." I took the seat next to her. "Neither would it be honor that brings me here tonight."

"Then what is it?" her slender eyebrows furrowed.

"Christine."

"What of her? You took her down with you tonight."

"She knows."

"Of?" she was much too calm to my liking.

"My face." I nastily gritted through my teeth. I could feel the muscles in my face arranging themselves to create a glaring expression towards her but this didn't seem to faze her at all.

"She seems to know of lots of things- Erik do not give me that look, I haven't told her anything. I've kept your secrets from everyone including my own daughter for all these years. What makes you think I'd tell her now? What you wish to tell Miss. Daae is your own business. Why is it that you left her down there?"

Madame Giry proved a point when she said this, and I could tell that she in fact had not told Christine…but it only left one explanation. "She…she spoke to me of a dream-"

"And?"

"She knew my name. I never once spoke my name to anyone but you-"

"And that's why you're here." She confirmed.

"She kept weeping and apologizing for leaving me. She kept saying she was sorry for going with _Raoul-"_

"Yes I'll admit that was a strange premonition she had this morning."

"Premonition?"

"She woke up this morning just before rehearsal asking where Raoul DeChangey was _before_ he had arrived at the theatre-"

"You're not suggesting that she's actually-"

"_And _when I told her she had to hurry for rehearsal because Monsieur Lefervre had an important announcement to make to the cast she asked if it was pertaining to his retirement and if he would be moving to Australia _before _he announced it."

"You don't believe that she actually _dreamed _the future do you?" I asked.

"Do you?"

I wanted to, but then again did I? If it were true then what events happened in that dream to make Christine so upset? The thought disturbed me. "This is madness. How could you even begin to explain such an occurrence?"

"Perhaps it is the work of God." She suggested.

I snorted. "The work of God?"

"There's no reason for her to know all of the events that happened today beforehand, as there is also no reason to be mad at her for having such dreams…you did not do anything rash when she told you of it, did you?"

Threatening to kill myself…

"No."

"That's a relief. Perhaps you should listen to what Miss. Daae has to say; since everything she has claimed seemed to carry out today."

Even Madame Giry believed her; one of the most sensible women in this opera house. "She says to have seen my face in her dream even though she has not seen it."

"Was she frightened?"

"She says not."

"Will you show her your face?"

Was she out of her mind! "Of course not!"

"This is quite a situation you have here Erik." She folded her hands as if to signal she had nothing more to say.

"Indeed." I agreed. "What…what should I do?" god- I _never _asked for advice. _Ever_.

"Listen to her. If she knows of your face and did not fear you then she apparently knows something of greater detail." This comment slightly stung. _If she knows of your face and did not fear you…_I was done talking to Madame Giry.

"I thank you for your time." I left Madame Giry to her night guard duties.

When I returned to my home of a cave I went to the bed only to find it empty. I started to worry but then saw Christine perched over my desk sleeping with her head tucked in her arms. I sighed as I went over to pick her up and carry her to the bed. When I placed her down on the mattress I could see she held something in her right hand that was curled into a fist. Gently I pulled her fingers to see that she was holding the figurine of herself that belonged to the diorama of the opera stage. I took the miniature figure of Christine and placed it in my pocket as I grabbed a chair and sat beside the bed.

Guilt flooded inside of me as I watched Christine's sleeping figure. The things she had said earlier echoed in my mind. "_I'm so sorry I left you down here….I'm sorry I denied you…I don't want Raoul…" _repeated in my head over and over again. Left me down here; what forced her to leave? She denied me; what did I ask of her? _She didn't want Raoul_…this thought disturbed me most; did she have him in her dream? He had only arrived today; everything she said indeed sounded like a result not from a dream but a nightmare. I had seen Christine cry from time to time when she felt lonely without her father but never had I seen her cry like that before; confessing to everything she had done…when she hadn't done them in the first place, or she hadn't done them _yet_. Ultimately I was left with the decision if this dream was something I should be worried about or not. I was indeed worried about what she said of my face, _"Erik, I will not remove your mask… something horribly always goes wrong…" _She removed my mask in her dream, but even though Madame Giry affirmed events in her dream had carried out in reality there was no way for Christine to know the image behind my mask. _"The work of God…" _Madame Giry's words rang in my head. What if the work of God made my face look better in her dream? What if my face was uglier now? I sighed at this realization.

Not only were there matters relating to my face, but Christine admitted her love for me. In all honesty I thought I would've had to do a lot of convincing and apologizing for pretending to be her Angel of Music in order to get her to reconsider the assortment of her affections towards me, but she came down here tonight weeping for forgiveness and claiming her love as if she had done something dreadfully wrong…._what happened in this dream?_ How tempted I was to wake her and ask her what happened, but I let her rest and as I watched her sleep I wondered if she was dreaming right now at this very moment. I wanted Christine more than anything in the world and now she was here! She had come down and professed her love towards me! Never in _my _dreams would I believe it to ever happen, or having her _kiss _me nonetheless. _Oh that sweet kiss…_I bit my bottom lip and ran my tongue across it remembering her taste. She had kissed me! Oh how foolish I felt for placing that knife to my neck! What if this dream really _was _true and she did love me and- and I made myself look like a complete incomprehensive ass!

It all came down to logic. Christine had never once lied to me, or anyone to my knowledge. She was humble, modest, and kind. Why would she lie now?

There were many options, and even though it was now logical to believe that Christine was telling me the truth I couldn't wholly believe it just yet. If this was true then it also meant that the possibility of having the most beautiful person in world love me in return would be very likely, and it would crush me to believe in it and then be proven wrong. It would all have to depend what happened in the morning.

These thoughts kept themselves on repeat until I had gotten drowsy. I could feel my eyelids drop as I leaned back against the chair and darkness took me over.

_Screaming. Everyone was screaming. Christine was standing right in front of giving me a look of anguish and regret. More screams pierced the air. I realized I was on the stage of the theatre. I looked at the audience to see horrified expressions and then I knew why everyone was screaming. My mask was off! I looked back at Christine who was at a loss for words but her eyes gave her away…she had taken off my mask. Why would she do that? In front of all these people? I was deeply embarrassed and hurt she would humiliate me this way; my angel did this to me? What had I ever done to her? At the corner of my eye I saw men in uniform running to the center of the audience. Each one of them was armed with a rifle and began screaming the order to fire. Were they absolutely insane? They would surely hit Christine! I had to get us out of upon a knife that rested by the railing and a rope that trailed upwards….and connected to the chandelier! Without hesitation I cut the rope and encased Christine within my arms so she wouldn't get hit by any of the gunshots. Suddenly we plummeted down through the stage and disappeared into the darkness. _

"Erik?" my eyes flew open to see a worried Christine leaning over in my direction.

After a few silent seconds brought me back to reality and pushed the strange dream I had out of my mind I brought my chair right to the edge of the bed. "Oh Christine, I'm- I'm so sorry for my behavior last night. I-I don't know what overcame…please forgive me." I cupped the right side of her face, my thumb stroking her cheek.

She placed her hand over mine and turned her face placing a kiss on my palm. "Forgive _me_ ." She whispered into my hand before placing more kisses trailing from my wrist to my fingers. "I'm so sorry I left you." She would say between the kisses and suddenly I felt her tears on my hand. Soon I could feel my own tears run down my face. Never in a million years would I ever think this possible. An angel was kissing the hands of a demon! I tried to stop but the tears kept coming.

"Erik what's wrong?" she placed my hand on the hollow of her throat.

"You kiss the hand of a monster! A monster not worthy enough to catch your tears, let alone be touched by your lips! Oh Christine, I do not understand why- _how can you…love me?"_ I couldn't cease my crying. I was lost in so much confusion and was ultimately awestruck by how much more my heart grew for her the moment she pressed her lips to my hand.

"But I do Erik. You've always been there for me, and- and you love me?" her voice cracked with pain and I remembered what I had said to her last night when I told her I never said such words of affection to her. I had hurt her! Damn me! How could I be so insensitive! I immediately kneeled to the ground and brought myself closer to her face. "Christine Daae, I have _always_ been in love with you." I spoke the words with such sincerity and I could feel my eyes burning into hers with a passion I had never felt before. "And I always will."

Fresh tears began to form in her eyes. My forehead rested against hers and I felt a strange sense of peace; here she was the love of my life and she loved me but she was still so sad…was this my fault? I could feel her crying against me.

"I'm sorry I left you."

My arms instinctively wrapped around her. "But you never left me Christine…you're right here beside me." I whispered into the depths of her beautiful hair.

"I wasn't though- I-I thought I lost you…forever." She sniffled against my shirt.

"In your dream." I affirmed. I could feel her nod against my chest; still sniffling. Slowly I pulled away to look at her. It was at this moment I felt ten years younger staring at an eight year old girl who had just woken from a nightmare of her father's passing, and I was her Angel of Music that shunned away those feelings of loneliness. Nostalgia flooded through my veins to make the girl, who was now a woman, feel alone no more. The question I had been both wanted to ask and dreaded finally made its way pass my lips. "Christine, will you tell me what happened?"

She closed her eyes and began to sing.


	5. Chapter 5

**First of all I'd like to apologize for the long update, but to make it up to you I made this the longest chapter...for now at least. Secondly, the reason it took so long was because I had written ch.5 with the characterization of Erik we are all familiar with (movie/musical wise it seems...). Due to a recent/personal experience I realized that jealousy and desperation has the immense ability to make people do things they never thought themselves capable of. With that being known I felt that I had wrote ch.5 completely wrong, because in my story Christine is practically throwing herself to Erik and because of that he doesn't have the need to do anything drastic...yet of course (;**

**another A/N: I know I mixed the lyrics of Point of No Return/Down Once More. I did it deliberately. Like I said before, I will be rearranging/adding/mixing lyrics in what I think is appropriate for the story. **

**last A/N: I don't know what you phans music preferences are (besides POTO hehe) but I suggest you look up the songs I use (and will be using) in the quotes before each chapter. each one I use will obviously remind me of Phantom in some sort of way, so hopefully you'll like them. I love suggesting new music to people. and if you do happen to look up one of the songs I quote and like it then tell me so in the reviews! music is AWESOME! :D**

**A/N of a liar...: speaking of reviews...well, you know what to do. LET'S READ NOW SHALL WE? :D**

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"_All this time I've spent without you by my side, _

_I dreamt about you,_

_Saw you through the windows in my mind,_

_Carved a home for you deep down inside my chest,_

_And I never want to__lose such a big part of me again,_

_Lose such a big part of me again,_

_I'm a mess,_

_I confess,_

_That I'm nothing without you,_

_And there is nothing I can do to prove to you I'm being honest,_

_Now I see everything,_

_And yes I've known it all along,_

_I was so lost but I'm back,_

_And I finally know now where my heart belongs…" –Erik Bowley/Andrew de Torres (The Scene Aesthetic)_

**Christine's POV**

I couldn't say it enough. No matter how many times I said sorry it didn't wash away the pain of regret I felt for leaving Erik. Even if it had only happened in the dream I couldn't bear for it to happen here in this world. I didn't want to lose him especially after the events that took place last night. I secretly feared he would not be the same Erik in my dreams but he was. There was, however, something significantly different about him, but I couldn't quite figure it out. Being in Erik's presence didn't scare me the way it _should_ scare someone. What I was afraid of was making some sort of mistake that would ruin this _second chance_ I seemed to have gotten.

Slowly I began to wonder if it was even a good idea to tell Erik about the dream, but for obvious reasons I had to explain to him. I knew his name, his face, and the songs we sang were even the same. _Almost everything was the same. _I didn't take off his mask. Was I an idiot in the dream? No, I was curious but why hadn't I just asked? Taking off Erik's mask for the first time changed a lot of things. I feared him after his outburst, but now that I hadn't taken it off I obviously had some power to control events did I not? I made Raoul take off his shoes, and didn't take off Erik's mask...that had to count for something.

"Christine, will you tell me what happened?" his blue-green eyes searched into mine looking for an answer.

Where to begin? Now he was willing to listen, but I couldn't think of where to start. The images and memory of the dream began to leak into my mind and I felt a strange force overcome me. _**"Past all hope for cries for help, no point in fighting…his life is now the prize which you must earn. Beware the point of no return…"**_

"How…how do you know that melody?"

I snapped out of my trance to see Erik giving me an incredulous look.

"What? My…dream." My throat was dry. Erik must've detected this because he had gone off into a room to bring back a glass of water.

"Drink." He commanded handing the glass to me. I hadn't realized how parched I was but I had managed to drink the whole glass down quick. His voice was stern "What did you mean when you sang?"

I was slightly confused. "Sang what?"

Erik stood up and sang _**"Past all hope for cries for help, no point in fighting…his life is now the prize which you must earn. Beware the point of no return…"**_

Hearing Erik sing those words, here in this very place, sent violent shivers throughout my body. He had delivered them with equal power and control, but he merely recited them; there was no authentic _anger_...

"Christine, whose life was the prize within the dream? Tell me what happened."

"It…I…I don't know where to start." I admitted. I also didn't know I had sung _those _words in particular.

Erik sighed and sat down next to me. "The beginning."

"It started with the rehearsal-"

"Yesterday's rehearsal after you woke up?"

"Yes, and practically everything that happened yesterday happened in the dream."

"Practically?" Erik asked with a quizzical look on his face.

"Some things were…were different."

"Which things?"

"After the show I didn't go to the chapel-"

"Yes, I know." Erik exhaled.

I remembered that the Angel of Music, Erik, had instructed me that after each show we'd conduct a vocal cool down after I had prayed for my father "I'm sorry I didn't go...but in my dream I went to the chapel after the show."

"Why didn't you go yesterday?"

"I knew that you'd take me down with you last night after the show…I wanted to see you sooner." I felt slightly embarrassed when I admitted this but when I looked at Erik I could see his ears turn a pink shade. I couldn't help let out a small smile to see the Phantom of the Opera's ears change color; it was such a human reaction.

"In that case I cannot complain…" he spoke quietly. "You mean to say that besides you going to the chapel after the show that everything was exactly the same?"

"The new managers, you causing the back the back drop fall on Carlotta, your note read word for word-"

"The same note was in the dream?"

"Yes…" I could tell Erik was trying to be open with my explanations "Raoul was a little different." Was this a good idea to bring up?

Erik shifted around slightly "How?"

"I didn't want to see him at all."

"And in your dream you _did _want to see him?" I knew I had to finish saying this part quickly before Erik conjured some reason to jump to a conclusion. Last night he almost killed himself because of it! I couldn't lose Erik…

"No…I knew Raoul when I was a young girl and we were friends. In my dream I was…surprised to see him and thought his company was somewhat pleasant."

Erik raised an eyebrow "Were you not delighted about his presence last night? You agreed to go to dinner with him-"

"I lied." Erik's expression went blank and he didn't seem to understand why I would lie to Raoul. "I knew he was going to ask me to dinner and that he wouldn't stop. I only said yes to get him out of the room faster so I could…I knew you would…you know-"

Erik's ears went pink again "You knew I was going to take you through the mirror…when we sang our _strange duet…" _he emphasized this clearly "…was that also in the dream?"

"Yes."

"And our Music of the Night?"

"Yes." His face wore a troublesome look and I wondered if he was upset because it wasn't my first time experiencing everything. "Erik, it wasn't any less impressive. It felt…I felt so alive…"

"But what happened _after _I sang to you Christine." His voice was strained and tinted with uneasiness.

"I fell asleep, and when I woke up…" I gazed upon the haunted mask and there it was again, that feeling and urge; I wanted to see what hid behind it. _**"I was dreaming there was mist, swirling mist upon a vast glassy lake. There were candles all around and on the lake there was a boat, and in the boat there was a man…who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the mask?"**_

I watched Erik slowly realize what had happened. "You took off my mask."

I could only nod. I was at a loss for words.

"What did I do?" I looked at him in confusion. "Christine…I know I did something after you took off my mask…"

"You swore at me…I was frightened…then you took me to back up because people would begin to suspect I was missing."

"That's how you knew. Last night when I was angry you spoke the words before I could even say…"

Again I nodded. I tried not to think about all the things Erik said, they were not as beautiful as the things that normally flowed from Erik's mouth. He took my face into his hands. "Christine I'm sorry I cursed you. You are the last thing on this earth that should ever be cursed. My temper…I thought-"

"Shhh…" I placed a finger against his thin lips. "It's okay Erik. I knew it was going to happen-"

"That's not an excuse." He argued as he spoke against my finger. "I care about you more than music itself and my temper could've easily jeopardized me being here with you…like this…" his thumb trailed down from my face to my neck leaving behind a trail of aching desire.

I loved him so much in my dream, but the more I knew him here the stronger the need for him became. I could feel it grow by the second. Then I had realized something… "This is the first time…"

He gave a puzzled look. "What is the first time?"

"This is the first time we ever...talked. Knowing everything…"

"Oh…do you find it strange?" he hesitantly asked.

"Not at all…I like it." My hands rested upon his chest and I could feel the air fill his lungs and then escape them.

He then asked the very thought that flowing through my mind. "Did we not talk in your dream?"

I shook my head sadly. "Not like this."

"That would make it a nightmare to me…why is that we didn't speak with one another?"

I knew why. We didn't talk like this because of me. I tore the mask from his face and was afraid of him. There was a time where I believed I fearedhis face. How could I have been that shallow? I was completely ignorant of how much he meant to me and now that I realized my foolishness it had caused me to feel horrible. I _knew _that I was desperate to find excuses to counter my feeling of being attracted towards him…and I was shallow enough to use his face as a reason to not love him. I knew now of the _real _reason I had truly been afraid of Erik…

"Christine what's wrong?" his wiped away the tear that had escaped from my eye.

"It was my fault we didn't get to talk like this…I was foolish and- and scared-"

"Of me?" The pain in his voice broke my heart. I didn't want to admit why I was frightened, but I didn't want to lie to him.

He stammered. "I know that…my…my face-"

This immediately alarmed me. "Erik! I wasn't scared of your face…I was scared because-" the real truth that had been buried deep within me and fueled my dreams of all the years he had been in my life was so strong that it had caused me to hold my breath. My stomach pulled inwards as if it were a physical reaction that was too afraid to digest the truth.

"What scared you?"

"I was scared because of the feelings I felt towards you…they were so strong and consumed me body and soul. I didn't know what they were but all I knew was that they were strong, new…despite whatever happened the feelings never went away. I never felt like that with anyone else in my life. You never scared me…the way you made…the way you _make _me feel is what scares me…"

He slowly leaned forward until our faces were merely inches away. "Are you afraid now?"

"Yes." I breathed out. I didn't know if the seductive tone in his voice was intentional, but either way it affected my breathing.

We stared at each other as the silence grew louder. He never took his eyes off of me as he slowly began to stroke my arms. Finally he decided to break the silence. "I feel…the same."

"Really? You're…scared of me?" I was surprised that Erik would ever be afraid of anything.

"Christine you hold the very life of me…" as he said this he took my hand and placed it over the left side of his chest. "Do you feel how potent it beats? Without you I fear that my heart would not be able to pound through the decadence my face has entitled me to. Detestation would claim me whole if you did not exist."

A new fear was born the moment Erik spoke those words. I couldn't believe I thought he was a man of evil in my dream. Hearing Erik now I never could allow him that fate I chose in the dream for not only him, but me. Painful images of me leaving his home on the boat with Raoul began to flash within my mind. I wanted nothing to do with them anymore. This, right now, was real. "Your face has entitled you me…" I moved my free hand to the masked side of his face; careful not to make it fall off. "…if you weren't exactly as you are right now you wouldn't be here below ground…and I wouldn't have ever known you. I am here now-"

"Yes Christine…you are here now, but there is no telling where you'll be tomorrow and the next day and the next. Why do you think I was your Angel of Music for nearly ten years? You have every right to be mad at me for misleading you but…I couldn't help…it felt so extraordinary to feel needed…" he looked down in shame.

I knew me being without Erik was not an option in my life anymore. I gently kissed his forehead. "You still are my Angel of Music. I will _always _be here as long as the Angel of Music continues to stay by my side."

"I am no angel of God." Erik looked up. His eyes were glossed with a layer of unshed tears.

"You most certainly are not an angel of his opposite. You are my angel, my Angel of Music and I will always be here."

"Oh Christine I will never leave you…" his tears fell down his cheeks effortlessly. "But I don't understand…"

"What do you not understand?" I wiped away his tears. What would it take for him to realize I cared for him?

"What made you change your mind? You said you denied me…and that you didn't want _Raoul…" _I noted the difficulty he had in saying his name. "…what happenedthat caused you to be with me now _like_ _this?" _

He looked at me desperately wanting an answer. I had been dreading telling him that I had chose Raoul over him, because it just didn't matter to me anymore. I honestly could care less if I never saw Raoul again. I lived without him for over ten years of my life, but a life without Erik was impossible to imagine. "Erik, please forgive me...in my dream I...Rao-the Vicomte liked me…" I paused to see if there was a trace of anger in Erik's face but there was nothing but focus. I continued. "…I didn't know, in my dream-" I needed to emphasize that this was how I felt _in _the dream and not now. "…that you felt…romantically…" God- I felt like I sounded dim explaining this. "…towards me…like the Vicomte. It wasn't until the end of the dream when I realized you had loved me but so much damage had been done…it almost seemed like-"

"You past the point of no return?"

I couldn't have described it any better. "Erik I am so relieved that it was a dream and _this _is real-"

"What did you mean last night when you said he forced you to play Aminta?"

I had vaguely managed to tell Erik about how I chose Raoul, but I knew I couldn't bring myself to tell him I took part in a plan that demanded his death. It was something I wanted to forever shun from my life; awake and asleep. "You…you had completed your opera, _**Don Juan Triumphant**_, and made it known to everyone at the Masquerade Ball that we were to perform it-"

"You didn't want to perform it…but why?"

I knew this would deeply hurt his feelings because it was his own soul he had wrote down into music. "I did…but I was-"

"Scared." It wasn't a question.

I nodded. "Your lyrics…and the music…it was indescribable…"

"Why did the Vicomte _force _you?"

"He told me I had to perform it or people would get hurt." It wasn't exactly lying, but I wasn't about to tell Erik I agreed to such a horrible plot against him.

"By me." Again; it wasn't a question. There was another moment of silence; this one was slightly uncomfortable. Erik then spoke. "You're afraid, not of what happened in the dream...but that it will happen because it has started to play out here in this world…"

"Yes." The waterworks had begun and in no time my cheeks were covered in streams of fear. "Erik, I don't want to remember it, any of it. I want to be here…with you. I see everything now. I love you Erik…_I love you…_I won't be with Raoul. I won't!_" _

I had broken down. I couldn't stop sobbing and Erik instantly wrapped his arms around me. "Christine it's okay…on the contrary I'm grateful that you had this dream."

I looked up at him taken aback. "You are?"

"It seems not everything has followed your reverie…I am ashamed to admit that if you had taken off my mask, like you said you had, I would've reacted the same way…and this wouldn't have happened. You have the ability to change things…"

"You believe me?" I asked. I still didn't know if Erik needed more convincing.

He sighed. "Yes, Christine I believe you. You've never once lied or done wrong to me."

I realized that he was right. I consciously hadn't gone against him whatsoever, and I would make sure I never would. "I don't want to leave."

We sat there and held each other in another silence but it was quickly interrupted by a growl from my stomach. I could feel my cheeks turn red in embarrassment.

Erik pulled away from me. "Dear God- I have lost track of time…you must return now."

I didn't want to go back. I wanted to stay here longer. "I don't want to go back."

"Christine, you must. You lack nourishment from no supper last night. It is now well past a reasonable hour for breakfast and I do not have anything for you to eat down here."

"I'm not hungry." Now I felt childish.

Erik stood up from the bed and faced me. "Christine, we must go. Everyone will have surely noticed your absence by now. You said so yourself in your dream that I sent you back to the surface for that very reason, and something tells me we were down here longer than we were in your dream…"

He really _did _believe my dream now…then why couldn't he see that I was scared to move from this spot and give it an opportunity to execute the horrific events to come? "Will I see you again?"

"Tonight, after Il Mutto if you wish."

My stomach growled again, and now I couldn't ignore how hungry I was. "You promise?"

"I swear it." He offered me his hand.

"You'll come through the mirror?"

"Yes Christine."

Then I remembered the terrors that had occurred during the opening of Il Mutto. These events were not something small, like making Raoul take his shoes off; they had caused a man his life and three months of silence from Erik…

"I don't want you to watch me perform from Box Five-" I didn't want to tell him what happened in the dream. When I mentioned he had cursed me he had gotten really sad, but it didn't mean I couldn't stop him from doing the things he did during the performance.

He scrunched his face in bafflement. "Why not? I always watch you from there."

"Yes but…but it's hard for me to see Box Five when I'm performing."

"You're not supposed to be watching the audience when you perform Christine; they pay to watch you and not the other way around."

"Please Erik? I at least want to be able to sneak a glance at you."

"I can't really think of another place to watch the show without being seen…I _could _use watch from the rafters-"

"NO!" I shrieked. That was the _last _place I wanted Erik to be tonight. Before Erik could question why I screamed I quickly added. "It- it's not a good place to watch the show, and I'd never be able to look directly above me."

"Where do you suggest I locate myself then?"

I ran out of ideas. I couldn't think of another place for Erik to watch the show. "You could buy a ticket to watch me from Box One…"

He frowned. "Christine, I shouldn't have to _pay _to be seated at my own theater I help build."

"You built this theater?"

"Years ago they had done construction and re-modeled it…I helped with more than half of the blueprints; all done anonymously, mind you. You'd think the very _least _those two fools that run my theater would allow me my box seat…"

I always thought he called it 'his theater' because he tended to be possessive. "I didn't know that." I simply said.

"Not many people do. Christine please, we must go. I will try to find another place to watch the show if that is your wish."

"You have to promise me you'll come to the mirror after the show."

"I will."

"And that you'll come to the mirror if for _any_ reason at all during the show I am sent to the dressing room."

"I promise."

Somewhat satisfied, I took his hand and we began to make our way to the surface world. I was convinced that I had successfully evaded the interruption Erik would've made during the show about the new managers not leaving Box Five empty. I didn't want to bother to persuade him not to make Carlotta's voice croak, as cruel as it was; I knew he hated the woman and her attempt to sing. When Erik had promised to come to my dressing room mirror if I had ever needed to return there during the show I hoped, and I would later today pray, that it would prevent one of the most infamous disasters that the Opera Populaire would be known for.

Erik was right when the fellow employees would notice me missing because I could hear knocking on my dressing room door as we reached the mirror.

"This is where we part until later tonight." Erik placed the torch he held in his right hand onto a hold in the stone wall.

I pulled him closer and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I wish I didn't have to."

He sighed as he placed his lips against the top of my head. "And I wish you did not have to make this any harder than it already is."

"Miss Daae?" someone annoyingly kept tapping against the dressing room door.

"You must go now." He slid the mirror open.

I stepped halfway through the mirror's entrance. "Erik?"

"Yes?"

"You have the power to change what happens from the dream too." I stepped completely into the dressing room as I heard someone unlocking the door. I looked into his eyes.

"What?" he said confused.

"Do not kill Joseph Buquet."

I slid the mirror entrance shut as the dressing room door opened.


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter was difficult to write...don't really know why, but I really hope you readers enjoy. **

**And you all should DEFINITELY look up the song I quote before the chapter, it's only like 1 minute long but it's so dark and haunting. "New Frontier" by Versaemerge (which I do not own along with Phantom of the Opera related things) but I was also surprised with how much the lyrics of the song REALLY fit the story! haha**

**reviews = a happy author :)**

* * *

_"Falling,_

_Oh the warmth it brought to us,_

_It put an end to what we thought couldn't stop, _

_We're bound to wake up,_

_Granted we take, _

_The things we grow to see more clearly,_

_Lost in reverie..._" _-Sierra Kusterbeck (Versaemerge)_

**Erik's POV**

It was too late. She slid the mirror shut before I could ask her what she meant about Joseph Buquet. I watched as a small crowd tried to squeeze through the door calling Christine's name. There was one voice that screeched for my attention above all the others.

"Christine!" The _boy _tried to push his way through the managers, "Let me through!"

His voice bothered me as well as his appearance, and everything about him. Even if he wasn't associated with Christine in any way- I would not have liked him. Ignore the sum of money his family was known for; he was ordinary. He held no remarkable talents, like me. His perfect little boy's face reflected his perfect diminutive life. What could he offer to Christine that I could not?

To my delight Madame Giry pushed through the entire crowd and into the dressing room before answers to my own rhetorical question began to emerge.

"_Everyone get out this instant!" _she slammed the door shut and took a few breaths before turning her attention to Christine; whose back was pressed up against the mirror. I noted every curve of her body; she was so beautiful.

Before Madame Giry could speak there was a fast series of knocks against the dressing room door.

"Christine!"

I grew increasingly annoyed the longer the boy continued to exist.

"Christine are you there? _Answer me please!" _he implored.

"YES! Monsieur Vicomte she is here! Stop that racket at once!" Madame Giry, like I, was short tempered when aggravated.

I smirked.

She was only irritated with the stupidity of others.

"Oh…may I see her?"

_Damn it boy go away before I rid of you myself!_

Madame Giry frustratingly went to the door and opened it a crack, "Monsieur Vicomte, this is no _place _to be acting foolish. I suggest you go, Christine needs her rest."

She was warning him of _me._

He pouted like a boy who was denied candy, "Why don't you let Christine decide for herself?" He raised his head to see over Madame Giry's shoulder and looked at Christine waiting for an answer.

If I hadn't known any better I would've thought that Christine was intentionally keeping her hands behind her and pressed against the mirror as if to reach for me. She had not budged from the spot at all.

A false yawn escaped from her, "I'm quite tired. Madame Giry is right- I need my rest. Perhaps I'll see you at the show…Vicomte."

With that, Madame Giry slammed the door on the boy's shocked face.

"Finally, now shall we get you dressed Miss. Daae?"

I watched as Madame Giry pulled out a couple dresses. Christine finally peeled herself from the mirror. I began to wonder if she knew I was still here, but what happened next answered my question.

_What on earth was she doing in the middle of the room!_

Christine, very slowly, started to strip of her clothes. My eyes grew wide and like an idiot I looked over my shoulders in the way a person doing something wrong would to make sure they wouldn't get caught.

_This is an invasion of privacy. I shouldn't be here. _

This was wrong, but yet I couldn't bring myself to move from this spot. Would Christine be mad at me for still being here?

"Miss. Daae the changing section is over _here." _Madame Giry came from behind the dressing screen giving a stern look.

"I know." She deviously answered.

Then Christine turned her direction towards the mirror and I could have _sworn_ that she winked before disappearing behind the dressing screen.

I concluded she would not be mad.

My face felt hot. I wiped the left side of my face in disbelief of what just happened. I could feel my heart beating hard against my chest and now I suddenly wished that Christine hadn't gone back. I wanted to pull her through the mirror and…

_Was I allowed to think these thoughts?_

There might as well have not been a mirror. Madame Giry raised a suspicious brow, directly at me it would seem, and shot a look that went through her own reflection. I decided it was best to leave while Christine was out of sight. Out of sight, but never out of mind.

There was a lot to be done in such a short amount of time. When I returned to my home I produced a few letters addressing matters of several things; the replacement of Carlotta, my unpaid salary, a little hint of a threat, and _the boy._

The pen felt like it could've burst between my fingers. I found it difficult to write down what I wanted to tell the Vicomte. Every time I started to write something down it went from a warning to insults and then to things that would've made no sense to anyone but Christine and I.

I attempted a fourth letter.

"_Monsieur Vicomte, if you know what's best for Christine, and yourself, then make no attempt to see her again. You know it yourself; "Little Lotte says what she loves best is when she's in bed, and the Angel of Music sings songs in her head." What she loves best is not you. The Angel of Music will always have her under his wing in every world. She does not belong to you…"_

I read it over and over, but something was wrong. I kept looking for the hidden error and there it was, _"…She does not belong to you…" _

Pulling out a final piece of parchment I wrote my last note, and when I looked at the revision I had made I half-smiled.

"…_She does not belong with you…"_

I sealed the letter and it was done.

Tucking the notes in my jacket pocket I made haste to the locations each one needed to be delivered, and as much as I wanted to gloat over the reactions of the fools that dwelled in my theatre, I had to go into the town market to get food.

Donning a black fedora and large coat I slipped into the crowded streets of Paris. I felt different and completely _strange. _Not that I already felt different and strange from the norm, but different than usual. Christine _wanted _to see me again tonight, and she made me promise her. Every doubt and feeling I had last night seemed to have vanished and been replaced with…_warmth. _I had never felt warm before. I was always cold and solitary, but this morning with Christine was so opposite of the life I've known. I felt hope beat within my chest, and for the first time in my entire life; I allowed it.

I went around vendors stocking up on food. If Christine weren't returning then I would've pushed buying food out of my priorities for the next three days or so. I never really enjoyed food. I merely ate as a requirement to stay alive, and even then what was the joy in that? But things were different now. I was buying food not only for me but for Christine. Was it ridiculous that I felt as if my insides were floating because I was merely buying food for someone else? What was wrong with me?

The fluttering sensations in my stomach continued as I went about my shopping. I found it hard to walk strait seeing as my legs would rapidly move and almost sprint forward and then drastically slow down. _Something was definitely wrong with me. _My quirky movements had started to grasp people's attention. I quickly made a turn into a less crowded area and seated myself at a broken fountain in the corner of the secluded vendor area, but as soon as I sat down I quickly jumped up unable to be still.

"What is _wrong _with me?" I groaned into my hands frustrated. I couldn't focus on anything! All I could think about was Christine….and the loose strands of her hair….and the small beauty mark behind her left ear….and the way she bit her lip when in deep thought…

"Monsieur are you okay?"

My head snapped up. Before me was a small girl with short sandy brown hair and blue eyes. I was rather taken aback and shifted myself so that only the left side of my face was visible to her. "Didn't your parents ever teach you not to talk to strangers?" I asked darkly.

"No-" My ominous appearance didn't seem to deter her, "I'm an orphan."

"Then perhaps you should go back to the orphanage hmm?"

"It's boring there, and besides I saw you walking all funny." She then skipped forward and dared to take a seat on the left side of me, "Why were you walking all funny?"

I could not believe this girl. She couldn't have been no more than the age of six years old! Did she have any idea who she was conversing with? "I was not walking _funny_. Now I suggest that you go back from whence you came."

I started to collect my things and leave. This normally never happened. I appeared alien towards people, or someone they didn't want to approach. It was the whole reason I wore all black nearly every day. Black was a dark and mysterious color. People hardly put themselves in the path of things unknown to them. Mysteries drive people away, but at the same time intrigue the few. This girl belonged in the category of intrigued, and was also the first one to act upon it.

"Are you sick?" she simply asked.

"No."

"Are you injured?"

"No."

Why was this child harassing me with questions? I gathered up the rest of my things and lifted the bag to leave.

"You have butterflies!" she squealed causing me to almost drop the bag of food.

"BE QUIET!" I spat frustratingly. She giggled and caught a strand of hair and chewed on it for a moment, which I found to be quite…nasty. "You can see there are no _butterflies _in my possession. Now, goodbye."

"You have butterflies in your _stomach_."

"Excuse me?"

"Are you in love?"

What on earth?

"Butterflies have nothing to do with being in love, and being located in the stomach nonetheless." I really didn't have time to waste talking to an imprudent little girl.

"But it has _everything _to do with it! Do you feel like your stomach is rising all the way to your chest?" she leaned forward eagerly in a way a child would when hearing an interesting story.

"Yes." I carefully answered. How could she have known the sensations I was going through?

"Those are butterflies, or at least that's what my mother called them." She swung her legs back and forth and grinned widely as if triumphant to be able to explain something, "She told me that when you like someone you can feel your stomach dance inside of you, and if you _really _like them then it makes you act all weird and funny. You have them really bad." she laughed.

I considered it. "That's a rather interesting theory of yours…but I must now go."

"Okay." She simply jumped off the fountain and started to skip away from me.

Out of nowhere I called to her, "Wait…whydo they make you feel that way? The…the butterflies…why do they happen when you're in love?"

She turned around while she walked backwards. "Because the butterflies only fly in empty places…like inside of _you_."

"Why would my insides be empty?"

"Because your heart isn't there anymore; it's with the person you love, and the butterflies fly around to remind you." She smiled and finally skipped away leaving me with my bag of food, and butterflies for Christine.

~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~

The house doors were open and the show would start in exactly ten minutes. Even though Christine requested me to watch her from somewhere else I still wrote to the managers to leave Box Five empty, and of course as the audience filled the seats of the theater I witnessed Box Five to be occupied before my own eyes. I was furious.

I had also learned that they dismissed my instructions to make Christine the Prima Donna of tonight's show, but that would be fixed on my own accord. What the people of this opera house needed to learn was that I, The Phantom of the Opera, do _not _tolerate imbeciles or talentless baboons.

The talentless baboon issue had been taken care of. Carlotta's _vocal squeeze, _as I liked to joke to myself, had been replaced by my own…pesticide, if you will.

The imbeciles were another matter.

I had asked nicely, on more than one occasion, for them to fulfill my simple requests, and now they were trying my patience and mocking me by refusing my demands.

_I will not be mocked in my own theatre._

Something had to be done.

Now not _only _had they given the lead role to Carlotta but the managers had casted Christine as _the Pageboy…the silent role! _ This was not defying my orders but something entirely different; they were challenging me.

Who in their right minds would cast the most talented soprano in France as the Pageboy in Il Mutto? Who in their right minds would challenge the Opera Ghost?

My managers were _not_ in their right mind, and I surely could not allow two lunatics to run my theatre. Whatever would the public say? Indubitably, the responsibility was mine to bring my dear managers back to sanity.

The curtains rose, and the show began. I would watch Christine as the Countess, not the Pageboy. Work had to be done. I made my way into Christine's dressing room and pulled from my form a red rose with a simple black ribbon tied about the stem. Leaving it on the vanity for her to find I then left the room to witness Carlotta's sabotage.

The more I thought of my box seat being occupied the more agitated I became.

_This would never happen again. _

There was only one place left to watch the show, and so I went about the upmost part of the auditorium. I could touch the ceiling by merely reaching an arm up towards it. I would have to remain still and watch the performance here, but as Christine came on the stage I found it quite hard to control my anger.

_She deserves to be in the spotlight, and I deserve to be able to watch her from my seat. _

Something snapped.

"DID I NOT INSTRUCT THAT BOX FIVE WAS TO BE KEPT EMPTY?" Sweet adrenaline rushed through my veins. The entire floor fell quiet with the exception of various gasps that came from both the cast and audience. I drowned in the raw power of it.

_This is how it is supposed to be._

"Here's here; The Phantom of the Opera." Meg Giry was very right. I almost grinned with the sick glee I felt in having her say that one line of important identity at such a perfect time. She helped my existence unconsciously just by believing in the Phantom; she was truly the daughter of her mother.

"Angel…" Christine looked directly at me, and this face forced a very different emotion through me.

Surely she had to know, that this, was all for her. Being hundreds of feet away from her didn't blur the plain look of fear on her face as I looked back at her. Instantly I regretted my outburst. I would explain myself to her later tonight.

"Your part is _silent _little toad!" Carlotta spat at Christine.

A slight pang of annoyance trickled down my core.

"Perhaps it is _you, _Madame, who are the toad…" knowing what was about to happen to Carlotta, I could not linger in this spot. Not everyone in this room could be an idiot, and somehow one of those fortunate people would be able to link me to Carlotta's, hopeful, downfall.

As I started to leave I could faintly hear the croaks of Carlotta, and I dare say that it may have been one of the most pleasing things I had ever heard in my life.

I was walking to go to Christine's dressing room. I had promised her that if she for any reason needed to go to her room that I would follow, but something was wrong…very wrong.

I was being followed.

Someone was _attempting _to find me.

Amusement and anger argued with each other within me, but they both decided to call a truce and work together.

I silently slipped into the shadows and went towards the Heaven of the stage. I then could see none other than Joseph Buquet lurking about the rafters looking for _me. _

Now what was truly ironic was that Monsieur Buquet always carried with him a hangman's noose. He was quite the story teller, and I had _always _wanted him to me one…personally. Perhaps it wasn't so much ironic that he carried noose with him at all times, but more so the fact that he had left it lying about on the rafter I was presently standing on.

It was all too easy.

I waited until he unknowingly stepped on to the same skywalk to come out of the shadows, and just as Amusement and Anger agreed; they worked together. I was more than pleased with the utter horror placed on his face, and fury with no patience began to boil beneath my skin.

"Like yellow parchment is my skin?" I took a step forward and he countered with a step back. "A great black hole serves as the nose that never grew?"

I took another step towards him. He reached around his waist…searching frantically along his belt…

"Now you're being rude." I pulled his _magical lasso _from my cape. His eyes grew wide with terror and broke into a run. I grabbed the railings of rope and swung the platform sideways causing Buquet to go off balance and fall.

"NO!" Someone had shrieked from the stage.

"Miss. Daae what in heaven's name are you doing!" Andre cried.

I looked below to see that Christine was standing center stage. She had interrupted the entire ballet of Act Three. She was looking up towards me….and then I remembered.

_"You have the power to change what happens from the dream too…do not kill Joseph Buquet…"_

I had the power to _change _the dream? Then I realized what she had meant…I killed Joseph Buquet in the dream….and then, what happened after that had happened? She went with Raoul, not me. Did Buquet really have something to do with that?

I was completely lost in panic and upset that I didn't notice I was being pulled towards the wooden planks of the skywalk. I heard a deafening crack as my face crashed against the wood. Joseph Buquet grabbed for the noose in my hands. I wriggled violently trying to get back into an upright position, but to no avail. Buquet was a heavy man. When I lifted my head he gasped. My mask had broken in half and slid from my face.

"SOMEONE HEL-" With all the strength I could gather I pushed him off of me using my feet hurling him off of the edge of the skywalk.

_My mask! _My mask had followed him down towards the stage and then I heard it.

Joseph Buquet crashed on to the stage and caused an earsplitting crack to reverberate throughout the auditorium. Soon the entire cast, crew, and audience were screaming. I had to get out of here before anyone could see my face.

Everywhere was virtually blocked. There would be no way to get past anyone to go down below the opera with all the mayhem. I needed to be out of sight…the roof!

I found the spiral staircase and quickly ran up the stairs and pushed the door open. It was cold…very cold. I closed the door behind me and walked over to the horse statue.

_What have I done? _

I groaned.

_Damn you Erik, damn you. You killed Buquet after Christine told you not to!_

I didn't mean to…at first I did but then...it wasn't intentional…he shouldn't have followed me!

The roof door crashed open.

I then leaped behind the nearest statue, but not without sneaking a glance only to find that I was looking at Christine and _him._


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for another long update -_- but it was finals week and that was INSANITY MAY I TELL YOU! Also, I'm letting all you readers know that I will be flying out to the east coast this weekend for my winter vacation and I will be gone for 3 weeks. I'm going to try as best as I can to update at least once a week (even though I kind of do that already...again, I apologize :/). **

**I hope you readers find this chapter satisfactory, but I promise you that big things will take course in the next chapter...perhaps I will post it on Christmas and that shall be my gift to all of you readers! :D your reviews mean the world to me. you all have no idea. I get all giddy when I'm out and about and I hear my iphone buzz with a new email/review alert! teehee :3**

**oh, and just cause you guys are Phans I thought I'd share something with you. Ramin Karimloo has a Twitter (social network thing that people just say what they're doing at what time..like a continuous status update if you don't know what Twitter is) and I follow Ramin on Twitter (duh, haha- plus it keeps me updated on LND and his band Sheytoons) and he posted up lyrics as his status/"tweet" from one of his favorite bands, and when I saw the lyrics I thought it was REALLY weird cause I had JUST finished recording myself play guitar and sing the same song he posted. SO I replied to his "tweet" saying how I just covered that song on the guitar and then he REPLIED BACK saying "Where can we see it?" 0.o - that is what was going through my mind. None of my friends I told this to really didn't comprehend how intense this was for me, but you guys are fellow Phans so maybe you can relate to me when I say... "HOLY CRAP WHAT DO I DO WHEN ONE OF THE BEST PHANTOMS WANTS TO HEAR YOU SING!" honestly I was SO hesitant to send him the video of me playing that song...but I did and said "here it is...hope it's good" he replied back saying that it was great work and a job well done...**

**Ramin Karimloo made my day, week, month, year, LIFE. I honestly have such a low self esteem about everything I do and just having him say that to me just blew my mind. He's such a nice guy, and I take it you all have heard him sing? So...that was just the compliment of my life. **

**okay, sorry about that long story of mine. I was just so excited, I even took pictures of the conversation/messages we sent back and forth to each other hahaha. **

**anyways, onto the REAL story you all want to read. hope you enjoy and have a safe and happy holidays :)**

* * *

_"I know you've suffered,_

_But I don't want you to hide,_

_It's cold and loveless,_

_I won't let you be denied,_

_Soothing,_

_I'll make you feel pure,_

_Trust me,_

_You can be sure,_

_You trick your lovers,_

_That you're wicked and divine,_

_You may be a sinner,_

_But your innocence is mine,_

_Please me,_

_Show me how it's done,_

_Tease me,_

_You are the one,_

_I want to reconcile the violence in your heart,_

_I want to recognize your beauty's not just a mask,_

_I want to exorcise the demons from your past,_

_I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart..." -Matthew Bellamy (MUSE)_

**Christine's POV**

"DID I NOT INSTRUCT THAT BOX FIVE WAS TO BE KEPT EMPTY?"

I froze on the stage and felt my stomach drop what seemed thousands of feet. I looked up and there he was.

"He's here; The Phantom of the Opera." Meg exclaimed.

My plan…I thought it would've worked. I told him to find another place to watch the show. I sighed, "Angel…"

"Your part is _silent _little toad!" I gave Carlotta a dark look. She half opened her mouth at my appearance but simply walked off stage.

No, no, _no_. If Erik made the announcement just like in the dream then what about Buquet? Buquet's death was a much larger event, and even then some. The death of a man is horrible, but I couldn't help my thoughts drift into what appeared to me as a larger problem. If I couldn't stop Buquet's death then could I stop the result of the dream that hadn't played out? _No! I will not think this way! _There was absolutely no way I would end up with Raoul. I knew I loved Erik, and I would allow nothing to get in the way…not even my dream.

When Carlotta came back to continue the performance I slipped off the stage knowing that she would croak. Madame Giry shot an alarmed look in my direction from offstage as exited, but before she could say anything Carlotta had croaked. As the stage went into a bustle of panic and excitement Madame Giry led me into a less secluded area backstage.

"You knew this would happen." It wasn't a question, and I wasn't about to deny that I did. She had been there when I woke up and after Erik had gone to talk to her last night there was no way she surely couldn't know.

"Yes." I started to wonder how long Erik and Madame Giry knew each other and came about meeting in the first place. She obviously had done something to gain Erik's trust or friendship. As far as I knew, Erik didn't talk to anyone or so I had once thought, but it was apparent that he had a history with Madame Giry if he had been willing to just simply talk to her last night instead of issuing some sort of threat or blackmail.

"Come, we must get you dressed for the lead role."

I followed her quickly in desperate hope that Erik would be in the dressing room waiting for me as he promised, but when we had arrived he wasn't there. I grew anxious as Madame Giry had finished lacing up my corset. My eyes never left the mirror. Was he behind it? A sick feeling started to swell in my stomach.

"Christine!" Madame Giry and I looked towards to door as knocking sounded through.

"Monsieur Vicomte please return to your seat!" It was clear that Madame Giry didn't favor Raoul in any way whatsoever.

"I wish to speak with Christine! As the patron of this opera house I demand to talk to the star of this show!" he called through the door.

Raoul was a lot whinier than my childhood memory had served me. Was it because in my dream I was willing to be around him that he didn't complain? His constant hounding had started to become rather annoying.

Madame Giry placed her hand on my shoulder, "Are you ready to go?"

I glanced back at the mirror. I could sense it. Erik wasn't here and as each second went by the sicker I felt. I nodded to Madame Giry, but before going to the door I saw a single red rose tied off with a silk black ribbon on my vanity. I gently picked it up and brought it to my nose. His scent had tinted the flower slightly.

"Let's go."

When Madame Giry opened the door Raoul was sprung up from the floor. Had he really waited on the floor for me to finish dressing? Before he could say anything Madame Giry spoke first.

"Though you are the patron of this opera house understand that there are people here that hold far more power than you can imagine. You do not call the shots, you do not give demands, and you are not a director. You are the patron and nothing more. I suggest you learn your place before the ones who do run this theatre find it for you." Madame Giry had always been an intimidating woman but this even frightened me somewhat. She gave Raoul a dark look and then quickly led me away leaving Raoul speechless.

When we returned backstage I couldn't stop shaking. Where was Erik? Why wasn't he in the dressing room?

"They're performing Act Three to give you time to have gotten ready." Madame Giry stated.

"I know…but we're here earlier than last time…"

"Last time?" Madame Giry raised an eyebrow at me but before I could respond I heard the smallest creak come from far above me.

I looked up to see two figures on the same skywalk. Instantly I ran onto the stage, "NO!" I shrieked.

"Miss. Daae what in heaven's name are you doing?" one of the managers cried from the box pier seat.

I didn't care that I ran out in the middle of the stage during the middle of an act. I didn't care that everyone in the audience started to make remarks on all the mistakes of tonight's production. What happened next I cared about; with no warning Joseph Buquet crashed onto the stage and had landed on his neck. An earsplitting crack came from his body causing me to cringe. Everyone screamed and started to run in all directions.

I stood there unable to move. I had felt like I lost. Joseph Buquet was dead, and Erik killed him. Nothing had changed…but he was not hung. Why? Why was Buquet not hanging from the stage? If he had died here anyway then why was it not the same as my dream?

I glanced at Madame Giry across the stage and in her hands I saw a white porcelain mask in two pieces.

I immediately ran over to her and took the broken mask pieces into my hands. Something was horribly wrong. Was Erik hurt? Was Buquet's death the result of self defense?

"I have to find him."

"Do you know where he is?" Madame Giry asked.

I contemplated where Erik would go after being unmasked. He surely wouldn't have been able to get to the cellars without being noticed, but then again he probably had more passageways I didn't know about built into this opera house. Where would he go? At that moment I saw Raoul enter the auditorium and start walking towards the stage. I had to get away from Raoul before he started hounding me again.

"I need to go." I turned away and walked to the spiral staircase backstage.

"Christine!" Raoul called behind me but I didn't care I began to climb the staircase as fast as I could.

"_**What are you doing here?"**_

"_**Raoul just go back there."**_

"_**You must return!"**_

"_**Don't be dim! Please just leave me alone. You never learn-"**_

"_**You can't serious, I have to know! The Phantom of the Opera is here somewhere below-"**_

"_**There is no Phantom of the Opera!" **_I exhaled as I pushed open the door the roof of the opera house.

"_**I must differ. Who can blame for the death of that man? Who else hides in the shadows and plots in the darkness…darkness? Christine I know it! Here he sends me these letters in hand! Here he shows that your past life with me is a daunting ill thought he refuses to see in that darkness…darkness."**_

Raoul had pulled out a letter from his jacket. The envelope had on it the opened seal of a red skull.

"May I see it?"

Raoul handed me the letter. As I finished reading I couldn't help a small smile escape me.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing…just that you think that there's a Phantom-"

"No!" he snatched the letter back from my hand and tucked it in his jacket pocket. "Then who was that man who interrupted tonight's show? Not to mention the amount of notes the managers and I are getting!"

"Maybe someone's just trying to play a trick on you all because you're new Monsieur Vicomte…"

"I don't think a man plummeting to his death in the middle of a ballet is a practical- wait…why did you call me that?"

"Call you what?"

"Why do you address me as Vicomte?"

"Because it is your title."

"Not for you." His voice softened and he slowly reached out to touch the side of my face.

I took this time to remember Raoul as we were kids. We were always outdoors and ran endlessly through the trees to find a forbidden kingdom, or building some sort of fort to protect us from evil spirits. Those were innocent days where the biggest worry at that age was being home in time for supper. Those memories no doubt were tied to Raoul. A part of me begged to go back to that time where things were simple and easy, but life is never simple. I then thought of Erik and wondered if he even had the thought of ever wanting to go back to a simpler time, and then I thought if life had ever been good to Erik the way it had been good to me or Raoul. I knew though that there was nothing but pain for him to look back on.

"Christine what do you think of me?"

I didn't realize just how close Raoul was now standing to me. His hand still held my face as he looked into my eyes.

Yes, Raoul was a very handsome man. He was also rich, came from a strong family, and whoever were to marry him would have the world handed to her on a silver platter.

"I think of you as a good childhood friend." I answered.

"What do you think of me now?"

"Erhm…a-a friend?" I wasn't sure how to put this off.

"You're not just a friend to me." He moved closer. He simply smiled and before I could say anything had leaned forward and kissed me.

I considered this for a moment, or rather analyzed it. This kiss wasn't passionate or deep. As a matter of fact it didn't trigger anything inside of me. It was just a pair of lips that were perched against my own. It was so different from what I had dreamt. Raoul and I had sung together our own song, kissed so lovingly, and then left with such happiness.

I tried to remember the song we sung together but I could barely remember. The only words that I could gather from that dream were _"Anywhere you go let me go too…Christine that's all I ask of-"_

"No." I pushed Raoul away with my hands. He was here! How could I forget? That night of Don Juan Triumphant he had sang that song…he was on the roof and he saw us kiss then, and he was here now! I knew he was! I felt my blood run cold.

"Christine what's wrong?"

"Nothing…you need to leave." I could tell Raoul was offended.

"What? You kiss me and then you tell me to leave…Christine I thought-"

"No, _you _kissed me-"

"And you kissed back-"

"No I didn't…please just go."

"I don't understand you. Why are you acting this-" he paused mid sentence his eyes focused on something. "Is there someone else?"

"What?" it dawned on me that he was looking at the rose I held in my hand.

"Who is that from Christine?"

"Someone…"

"Who?"

"It's none of your business." I started to get aggravated. Raoul needed to leave. I knew if I left this roof without being able to talk to Erik then he would disappear for three months just as he did in my dream and I wasn't about to let that happen.

"Well I think it is to some extent."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Christine, I love you."

I don't think I should've been too surprised when he said that but I was.

"Raoul please just go."

"Why! I tell you that I love you, you let me kiss you and-"

"I didn't let you! I pushed you away! Had you asked for permission-"

"You would've let me?" he asked hopefully.

"No I wouldn't have!"

There was an uncomfortable silence. He was so stubborn and used to having things go his way; this was a trait Raoul always had, but apparently had gotten a lot worse over the years.

"So there is another man." I didn't answer him, and after what seemed like hours of just starring he nodded. "Will you at least allow me to escort you to your room?"

I shook my head at his offer.

"Very well Christine, I shall leave you with your thoughts." He lingered for a moment and then finally left.

Even though Raoul was now gone I was still far from relief. Erik was here and I knew very well that the sight he had just seen surely would've hurt him. I began to slowly walk around the roof.

"Erik?" I immediately regretted calling out his name. He wouldn't have any idea that I knew he was here.

There was no response. I made the decision to silently look for him but then I heard the most heart wrenching sound in my life.

I could hear a man softly weeping behind a statue of a horse. My heart sank within my chest and as I rounded the corner or the statue I could see him with his head facing the ground. I knelt down behind him and hesitantly reached out towards him.

"Erik-" I whispered softly.

He jerked away from me and placed his hand over his face.

"Erik please-"

"Christine….no-"

"Let me explain."

"Just…leave this monster here." He sounded absolutely broken. I could feel tears swell up in my eyes.

"Did you not see what happen?"

"I saw _everything-"_

"Then you know that I didn't want anything to do with him and sent him away."

"Doesn't…matter_-" _

"Erik please-"

"I killed Buquet!" he sobbed, "You _knew _it was going to happen-"

"Erik-"

"Why are you here when you know I'm a murderer-"

"I know you didn't mean to kill him." He was now quiet. His back against the statue and hand still placed over the right side of his face. When he didn't say anything I spoke again, "Erik, I-I found this."

I pulled out the broken pieces of his mask. When I handed them over to him I could see there was some blood on the interior of the porcelain.

"Erik you're bleeding." I gasped and looked up at his figure. "Let me see your face."

"No." he stood up slowly.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're hurt and I need to know how bad. I've seen your face, it's-"

"_**Stranger than you dreamt it. Can you even dare to look or bear to think of me? This loathsome gargoyle who seems a beast but secretly yearns for heaven secretly…secretly…oh Christine-"**_

"You-you sang that to me after I took off your mask." I said quietly.

"Yet…I say it now in a different time and circumstance."

"Erik you're not a murderer. You don't go about killing whenever you feel like it…I hope."

"No, I do not."

"Please just let me see your face."

We stood there facing each other. He was silent but never took his eyes off of me. Oh, his eyes…they were so full of sadness and regret.

"_**Yet in his eyes…all the sadness in the world…those pleading eyes that both threatened and adored…" **_I sang recalling the reverie. He knew it was about him. "What must I do to make you realize I'm here to stay Erik…?"

Tears silently streamed down his face.

"How do you know I didn't mean to kill Buquet?"

"He fell to the stage…in my dream he- you hung him. I knew something was wrong."

More silence. I couldn't take this anymore.

"Erik…" I stepped towards him making the space between us disappear. He didn't move away to my relief, but his hand remained on the distorted side of his face, "Do you trust me?"

The small amount of silence that had passed stung a little but I only had to remember that this was Erik I was talking to.

"Yes, mon ange." He sighed.

"Erik I want you to look at the stars." He gave a questioning look but did as I said. We observed the sky for a brief moment and there really were a lot of stars…more than usual.

"There are many out tonight."

"What of the stars?" he asked.

"Tonight they are not stars. Tonight they are pin holes for us and us alone, and if I could pin up every reason I love you Erik I would have to wait until the next night came because I would run out of night sky."

There were hundreds if not thousands of stars in the sky tonight, and there were never ending reasons why I loved Erik.

Seizing the moment I reached up and brought his face down to my level and kissed him. This kiss wasn't like last night's light kiss when he had threatened to kill himself. This kiss was strong, and it might've sounded silly out loud but to me this kiss was the sealing of our fate. I could feel the walls slowly come down and at that moment I felt _both _of Erik's hands pull my body closer to him as the kiss deepened. The moment I felt Erik's tongue touch mine that tempting sensation had tingled throughout my body; _this _was why I was scared of Erik. Even kissing Erik in my dream was much different than with Raoul. When I touched Erik it felt like I was endlessly falling into an unknown pit of burning passion that would easily consume two people whole. With Raoul he granted that familiarity; that innocence, but Erik- oh_ Erik_…he made me feel so _empty. _

I reached my hands to both sides of his face as I kissed him. I could tell this alarmed him as my left hand held the malformed side of his face. I felt his face beneath my hand; it wasn't disgusting or repulsive to touch in any way whatsoever. I could feel a series of lumps as my fingers trailed alongside his face.

"Christine." He whispered cautiously momentarily breaking the kiss. My eyes remained closed as I kissed _every _part of his face and then trailed down to his neck. "Oh, Christine…"

Slowly I pulled myself away to look at him, and when I saw his face completely bare in front of me it was truly a sight I was not prepared for.


	8. Chapter 8

**you all probably want to punjab me (actuay got a review saying someone really wanted to!) for not updating in so long. there are some notes I'd like to make before you read this chapter however. 1) I have immense writer's block at the moment. not just with this story but in everything I do; music, screenplays, lyrics...it sucks. so I apologize if this doesn't fulfill your thirst for this story. 2) this is the shortest chapter I've written mainly because this is the turning point in the story. I promise, promise, PROMISE that the next chapter will be more in depth and we will have skipped through time a bit more. 3) it is my undying belief that jealousy can drive people utterly MAD. keep in mind that in my story Erik hasn't any need to be as spiteful as he was in the movie/musical because Christine was never with Raoul, and Raoul has to be the one that goes through this new feeling and I wrote how I thought he'd deal with this situation as best as I could. 4) for those of you who wanted to see the video/cover I sent to Ramin Karimloo I will post the YouTube link on my profile if you still wish to see it haha. 5) Again, I'm terribly sorry for how long this took to update and I PROMISE for the next chapter to be INSANELY EPIC. The Masquerade is up next after all ;]**

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**Erik's POV**

_"I've never seen a smile that can light the room like yours,_

_It's simply radiant, _

_I feel more with everyday that goes by,_

_I watch the clock to make my timing just right,_

_Would it be okay?_

_Would it be okay if I took your breath away?_

_And I'm wasting away, away from you._

_And I'm wasting away, away from you._

_What have I gotten into this time around,_

_I know that I had sworn I'd never trust,_

_anyone again but I didn't have to,_

_You had me at hello..." **-Jeremy McKinnon (A Day To Remember)**_

The stars were pinholes for us.

That might have been the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, and how could I deny her when she came forth and brought me to her lips? I was far from deserving but even further away from having the willpower to protest otherwise. There was no fight for her love or any convincing to be done; she came to me on her own terms and I just couldn't figure out why. As she pressed on kissing me I couldn't help feel that she was too good for me. This was all too good to be true, and I did not deserve this love so…so effortlessly.

Her lips, oh God her lips- laced in morphine no doubt, pried my mouth open and the moment I felt her tongue graze the tip of mine I couldn't hold back. Mechanically, my mouth began to move in rhythm with hers. I had no idea how to kiss but my body screamed for this after years of dreaming of it. Her dreams had played out, would mine too?

My hands seized her sides. I didn't notice my face was bare until I felt her kiss every part of my face.

"Christine…" I couldn't- she would run, but she promised she would stay. What would happen if she saw my face? What would happen if I was more hideous here than in her sleep? I would never forgive myself for presenting me so vulnerable if she fled. Should I do something? Cover my face now before she sees?

I had thought too long to do something. I opened my eyes when I felt her pull away and take in my image.

I didn't breathe.

I waited for her to scream, to cry, and to run.

Her eyes grew wide and I couldn't stand it. I closed my eyes and waited for that scream of regret pierce the night air but it never came.

Instead I heard something I was far from expecting.

_Laughter._

I looked up and dared to open my eyes to see Christine's hand covering her mouth as she snickered.

"Erik…oh Erik!" she giggled furiously.

Now I was confused. Was she laughing at my hideousness? She sounded like a schoolgirl! I placed my hand over my deformity and turned away.

"It's nothing at all like I had dreamt…"

"Yes, because I am all the more ugly here." I would've preferred her to scream but she laughed at me instead, like the gypsies had.

"No," she placed a hand on my shoulder and spun me around to face her, "Erik you're…you're beautiful."

"What?"

"Your face…it's not bad at all!" her eyes were filled with wonder as she traced the creases of my deformity.

Was this a joke?

Her hands reached up to the top of my head and as her fingers combed through my hair she gasped, "Erik…is this…is your hair real?"

"Yes," of course it was real, "Why?"

I had never seen a smile so warming from her before. She twirled my hair in her fingers and brought me back to her lips. What on God's green earth was going on? I was ugly!

She must've sensed my confusion because she had stopped kissing me. "Erik what's wrong?"

"Everything," I blurted out, "This is all wrong…is this face not disgusting to you?"

"Far from it," she spoke quite seriously, "You…you haven't even a wig."

"I…I was more hideous in your dream…" God could not have been this good to me.

"I see nothing wrong with your face Erik." Christine whispered taking my face into her hands.

I didn't feel like the Opera Ghost. I felt like a man, an actual human being that was in presence of someone who wanted his company. For the first time, I felt accepted.

I leaned forward and kissed her.

Heaven forbid…she kissed me back.

"_Of course she would kiss me back." _A voice in the back of my head echoed.

Never did I think myself capable of being able to have knowledge like that in my life.

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**Raoul's POV**

_"Jealousy,_

_Yes, _

_jealousy will drive you mad..." **-The Argentinian in Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge"**_

I am a gentleman.

That is what most people praise of me and I take pride in it. A gentleman is someone who knows and practices orderly and admirable conduct in the strenuous of situations. Gentlemen overcome tough obstacles and dismiss their failures for they rise after they fall.

Gentlemen.

Gentleman.

_I am a gentleman._

But why is it called "gentleman"?

Break down the words.

Yes, that's always helpful.

He is man who is gentle.

I, Raoul DeChangy, am a man.

But am I gentle?

Now, the "gentle" in "gentleman", is it literally or figuratively?

My skin is literally soft; _gentle._

Figuratively?

Gentle as in careful…well cautioned?

Yes, I am _gentle_.

Why?

Because I carefully, and with caution, slipped from behind the statue I hid from and exited the rooftop.

My thoughts were a disorganized mess as I stormed down the stairs.

I had been treated appallingly since my arrival at this opera house! I wished to revive the relationship of a dear friend and I was rejected.

I am a reject.

I am a gentleman.

No man can be both.

I was literally told off by a mere ballet instructor! I was the patron of this opera house!

No.

_I am the patron of this opera house._

A gentleman never abuses his power.

I have power.

That means I am a gentleman; not a reject.

"Vicomte!" Andre's voice alerted me when I appeared in the front entry way of the opera house, "They all want a refund!"

"We will host another show." I firmly stated.

"For free?" Monsiuer Firmin was incredulous.

"Yes. Next weekend."

"But Vicomte, it's the end of the season. We won't be starting shows again until the new year."

"I do not care."

"Vicomte DeChangy are you alright?" of all people Madame Giry appeared from nowhere with the nerve to ask if I was _alright._

I stared at the three authority figures of the theater. All of them were waiting for my answers, my commands, my _thoughts._

"I want you all to put on this show again, give that man a proper funeral, and go through each and every person's papers in this opera house and summon every man with the name _'Erik' _into the manager's offices." I spoke quietly.

"Vicomte," Madame Giry interjected…of course, "I don't understand why you want everyone by that name to be called in, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Because," I glared, "Things at this opera house have been out of control and it's time to take charge."

"I still don't see what anyone by the name of 'Erik' has to do with-"

"It has everything to do with it," I spat, "Follow my instructions or I will cease to fund you all so generously."

I turned and left the Populaire through the front entrance and slammed the carriage door shut when it arrived.

I was never this rude.

But that kiss!

It drove me absolutely mad!

I was no fool. Erik was the "Angel of Music" and Christine _wanted _him; the same man that had been sending those letters…and the Phantom of the Opera?

I could barely make out his image on the rooftop, but God- she was in another man's company and not mine.

Christine in the company of a murderer?

It dawned on me that Christine could not have known that he was the Phantom, if in fact he was.

But I was convinced.

I had to save Christine from her ill fate. Yes, the Phantom was after her! The Phantom was Erik!

But she did not believe in a Phantom and she _wanted _Erik…for she had sent me away off the roof.

And for the first time I could feel the cold and hard stab of jealousy twist in every angle within me imaginable.

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**I am ashamed to um...beg you guys to put up with this chapter...it's not one of my better ones :/ but I promise to make it up with the next one. And also I wanted to comment on Erik's deformity, I wanted Christine to have dreamt of Erik's face resembling the musical version and in "real life" Erik's face to be more like the movie deformity BUT I gave Erik real hair...why? Cause it seemed a bit appropriate and I just wanted to give him some happiness now because with my current plot I have running through my mind Erik won't be happy for long. So in a weird kind of way this was my "gift" to him. I hope you all liked it too :P thanks so much for reading you guys. I'm greatful to have such amazing readers like you! :D 3**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I don't know if you readers saw my "review" to this story. I got into a situation that landed me in the ER at the hospital and then was forced to house hop for awhile and nearly dropped out of college and moved out of state, but after a lot of talking and planning and deals it now seems that I am secure and have a place to live until this June. I'm so sorry for making you all wait so long. I deeply apologize. I will NOT abandon this story, ever. just put it on alert and I gaurentee I will update this to the best of my ability. the next chapter is already halfway done- I just feel I owe so much to you. And to make it all up to you, I dedicate this chapter and the next to you E/C fans. After the things I went through the past few weeks I just wanted to write something that would help me feel better haha. The next chapter will be Christine's POV (in the movie in the Masquerade scene a line is sung somewhat like this "3 months of relief, of delight, of peace...blah blah no more ghost" so after th buquet incident Erik layed low for 3 months. This and the next chapter is strictly going to be E/C and their relationship. I'm very excited to get the next chapter up, you've no idea. Thank you for sticking around. I love you guys. Happy Belated Valentine's.**

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_"I give you my destiny,_

_I'm giving you all of me,_

_I want your symphony,_

_singing in all that I am,_

_at the top of my lungs,_

_I'm giving it back..." -Johnathan Foreman (Switchfoot)_

**Erik's POV**

"Where will you sleep?" I turned from my desk to see Christine sitting cross legged on the peacock framed bed.

"In my bedroom of course." I answered. I looked back at the tedious paperwork that I had put off for weeks that lay on my desk. The new managers were fools, and though I was finacially secure I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable unless I regularly obtained a salary. Getting paid was a luxury every normal man had and one of the few I was able to experience up until now.

"I don't want to sleep alone."

"You wont. You'll be sleeping with your fellow ballet dancers in the dormotories."

This must've upset her because before I knew it she was standing behind me.

"Erik I don't want to go back up there."

"Buquet just died. I'm sure the police have been called and will want to talk to eye witnesses, and it also doesn't help that you somewhat screamed just before he fell to the stage…they'll want to talk to you the most." I knew that I had to take her up to the surface world soon. I had only brought her down here to make sure she had a suitable meal before retiring to bed.

She let out a small grunt and I couldn't help but let out a faint laugh. For as long as I could remember, since she was a little girl, it was Christine's signature gesture that meant she was frustrated.

"What could possibly be so funny?"she cooed buring her face into my neck.

I closed my eyes.

It was such a wondrous feeling…to be touched.

"Erik?"

"Yes?" I turned my head to face her when she leaned forward to kiss me.

There it was, that strange feeling that felt like my stomach had leapt a hundred feet high within me. Without breaking the kiss she positioned herself on my lap. My arms greedily wrapped around her body and pulled her closer. I was surprised with myself, really. I had never known anything about contact with the opposite sex but both of our movements corresponded perfectly, it was beautiful. What made it even more astounding was that my mask was nonexistant in this physical exchange. Not even an hour ago we were upon the roof and she had bestowed kisses on my ugliness as if it were nothing to fret about.

My lips trailed down her neck, across her collarbone, and back to her lips. I could feel her fingers twirl through my hair as she pushed her body closer. I realized no one had to be experienced or know _how_ to touch someone, but only know what your body _wanted _in order to do it.

There were so many things my body wanted, what _I _wanted, but had learned how to silence those urges for years.

It was now impossible to pretend they weren't there. Especially when it was only Christine my existance ached for.

Her lips parted against mine as her teeth scraped against my bottom lip.

_Bite. _

I was thrust into a whirwind of ecstacy. I lifted her onto the desk and began to lose myself. I could feel Everything and Nothing. Our pulse, the blood dancing erratically in our veins, the friction of skin, and the pressure of flesh. That was Everything.

_Christine is beautiful._

Nothing, was the world around us, the opera house, music itself – it was as if nothing else existed but Christine and I – we were the only world, we were the opera house, we together were music.

No, _she _was music.

"You alone," I panted heavily against her neck, "you alone can make my song take flight."

I had truly surrendered myself.

I felt her hands move towards my face as she pressed a light kiss upon my my forhead. Her dark brown eyes glistened with an air of regret, and somewhere within me I knew she was telling me something without saying anything. The strangest feeling of all was that when I said those words I had felt like I had said them before, and looking into Christine's eyes I now knew that I had. I had delivered them with the same sense of surrender. I had no evidence of anything that was happening between us, but I now had something I never allowed before in my life – faith. I believed. I believed in _us._

"Christine," there would be no singing when I said this – no masking vulnerability by saying how I felt with the influence of melody to distract possible rejection, "I love you."

"Erik," She whispered, her fingers combing through my hair. She kissed my altered face, and by the way she looked at me it made me believe there was no distortion there at all, "promise me."

"What promise do you wish of me to make?" I asked confused.

"_**Promise me that all you say is true. Love me, that's all I ask of you…"**_the melody was bittersweet and foreign – yet familiar.

"I gave you my music, made your song take wing….everything you ask is all I have to give. If it's enough for you, Christine Daae, I will remind you every day of every hour how much I love you."

"I wish for nothing more and nothing less." She simply answered, as if there were no second thoughts on what she wanted – no second thoughts on me.

_Clingk. Clingk. Clingk._

I heard the faint chime of the clock escape my bedroom.

"You must return now." I said gravely.

Without a word of protest she slid off the desk and held out her hand for me to take. But I realized that I couldn't leave just yet.

"Christine," I could feel my face grow hot, "would you mind going into my room for me and retrieve my black mask? I have to prepare the gondola and cannot ascend without a mask."

"Of course."

The moment she turned the corner towards my room I immediately sat down on the chair and looked upon the crisis I had before me.

"Bloody hell." I cursed looking down at the crotch of my trousers. I squeezed my eyes shut. This was completely embarassing and out of character. How was I going to get _rid _of it?

"Erik?" Christine called from the room.

"Yes?" I called back a little too quickly.

"Where is it?"

"In the wardrobe. Top shelf."

"Erik, which wardrobe?"

"What do you mean which wardrobe?"

"There's big wooden one and a smaller one."

"The bigger one." I answered.

"The bigger wooden one?"

_How ironic._

"Yes, _that _one." My voice strained.

This hardly _ever _happened to me – with the exception of waking up in the morning. Other than that – it was rare. Every time it happened Christine had been in my presence – singing. And yes, I felt like a complete _animal _whenever it happened, but this time was extremely different.

I had physically been aroused by Christine, and the aftermath _hurt._

_I just have to un-arouse myself._

I started thinking of anything disgusting – besides me of course.

The two idiot managers causing a ruckus in my theater, Joseph Buquet's attempt to come after me, Carlotta's horrible singing – yes.

How I hated that woman! She bore no talent in any department other than manipulation. I knew for a fact she had been bribing her way to the stage for the past couple years and now that the Vicomte DeChangy was here she would try to snake her way into stealing his affections.

_The Vicomte._

I could even feel my jugular vein stick out and my teeth clench at the thought of him. Whether I wanted to admit it or not didn't matter – I envied him. He had been a part of Christine's life before me, and in that time frame he had known her she was happy. Her father was alive and she was unbroken and carefree. Raoul DeChangy was tied to memories where her life was untroubled – he was associated with happiness. He had something of Christine I could never have and it bothered me.

I was so deep in thought I almost had forgotten about the attempt to _lower_ my "proof" of stimulation when Christine had finally came out of my room.

"It wasn't in any of the wardrobes." She sounded a little frustrated.

I simply looked down at my trousers and felt relief wash over me – it was far less noticeable. I opened my desk drawer and pulled out my black half mask.

"My apologies," I placed the mask on my face. "I forgot I had left it in my desk. Shall we go now?"

I had to turn away from her to hide the smirk on my face.

On the journey back to the mirror we talked about music, places we wanted to see, life. I always loved Christine but I could feel myself falling deeper – which I thought impossible.

We had finally come up to the last series of tunnels.

"It was always you."

"What was always me?"

"I know that you were always the Angel of Music – but it was always you who kept me out of trouble."

"Yes, the Angel of Music is _very _strict." I mused.

"My sixteenth birthday..."

"What of it?" I asked when she didn't finish her sentence.

"There were a group of ballet girls that wanted to take me out into the town for my birthday, and you didn't want me to go."

"Of course I didn't. You proposed to wander in the streets of Paris in the dark!" I recalled the newly born teenage angst in Christine from two years ago.

"Yes…but you granted me permission to go after our lesson."

"Against my own better judgement." I stated bitterly.

"The girls and I had gone to the fairgrounds. When we arrived a gypsy woman offered to read my palm for me," _And you accepted, of course. Trusting, innocent Christine. _"I was curious and let her read my palm, but I had no idea she wanted an overpriced sum of money after she did so."

She stopped walking and still held onto my hand.

"Christine," I turned towards her. "We really don't have the time to be stopping."

"I want to know if it was you."

_Of course it was me._

She had no money, and I had followed her to the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds for heaven's sake! I had already expected the ballet rats to lead my Christine somewhere indecent for someone of her character but nothing as absurd or ironic as that hell of a place. I was covered from head to toe in black apparel and donned a fedora that sucessfully covered my bad half. I remembered the gypsy woman snarling at her. "_You have stolen something from us!" _she had repated to Christine while gripping her wrist. Christine, no doubt, had tears running down her cheeks begging the fortune teller to let her go. I had walked out of the shadows and into the fortune teller's tent. _"Her expenses are paid." _I had told the gypsy woman when I produced a small bag of coins. She had instantly let go of Christine. _"Go back to the opera."_ I had told the sixteen year old. She stared at me for just a moment and then finally left the fairgrounds.

"You really should've said something if you were going to a place you felt uncomfortable Christine."

"That was a long time ago!"

"Two years is not a long time Christine." Had that much time really passed?

"So it was you?"

"Yes."

She slid her hands into my jacket and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"I love you." She whispered.

Undeserving. I felt _so _undeserving. This was everything I wanted, and now that I had it I felt like it was unreal. My arms encased her body and I allowed myself to press a kiss upon her forehead – I half expected her to run, but she never did.

"Mon ange, you make this journey quite difficult for me to finish." I swept her off her feet and began to carry her.

"Erik!" she shreiked slapping her hands against my chest.

"Shhh! People will hear us."

I carried her all the way to the mirror before finally setting her down. We looked at eachother in silence.

"What happens tomorrow?" she asked.

"What is your normal routine at the opera?" I inquired.

"When I'm not busy with rehearsals or shows I am taught how to improve my singing by the Angel of Music." She smiled.

"I believe the Angel of Music's work is done. Your singing needs no further improvement."

"Do you really mean that?" she gasped.

"I do." It was true. She proved herself on stage in place of Carlotta. Her entire performace was flawless.

"How…how do we do this?" she asked.

"Do what?"

"Um…do I come to my dressing room and call for you to…come for me?" she asked uneasily.

I laughed, "You've managed to talk to me everyday for the past ten years – I think we'll be able to figure something out." The most beautiful shade of pink began to appear in her cheeks. "It's time for you to go."

I slid the mirror open for her to pass through. She seemed sad – almost disappointed. When she walked through to the other side I grabbed her hand.

"Christine," she looked hopeful and in that moment I felt as though I read her mind. I slowly pulled her towards me and kissed her. I could feel her lips form a smile against mine as she returned the kiss ardently. _I will never get used to this…she is just too perfect for anyone to deserve. _"Sleep beautifully, mon ange." I whispered.

She slipped away into the dark of her dressing room, and as soon as she was gone from my sight my attention focused on the apparent problem I had before me.

"You may come out now Antoinette." I called. Sure enough, the ballet mistress appeared from the opposite direction of the hallway. I slid the mirror shut. What could she possibly want? "Why are you on my side of the mirror?"

"To inform you of what has happened. The Vicomte has made demands."

"Enlighten me." I could feel my teeth clench.

"Have you and Miss. Daae been seen together?"

"No."

"I think otherwise, he has ordered the managers to summon every man in this opera house by the name of 'Erik' and have him be delivered to his office to speak with him."

"Are you suggesting that he knows my true identity?"

"Well obviously-"

"It is also obvious that Miss. Daae has been under my watch for the past couple days and has had no time to speak with the Vicomte whatsoever – whereas you have roamed about the opera so freely and are the only other one who knows _my _true identity."

Her eyes grew wide.

"Are you coming about the idea that it was I who told the Vicomte of your person?" she asked bewildered.

"Should I come about the idea?" I posed.

"You know very well that I would do no such thing."

Madame Giry had never given me a reason to mistrust her – yet, but even in all my years of knowing her she produced vibes that once ever so often would make me doubt.

"Yes, well then. The boy wishes to call upon every 'Erik' in the Populaire then so be it."

"There are no other 'Eriks'-"

"With a 'K'" I interjected.

I swore she rolled her feline eyes at me.

"I also want to know about Buquet."

I should have seen that coming.

"What of him?" I gruffly asked.

"Did you kill him?"

"It was not intentional and I wish to speak of it no further." I knew she wouldn't push the subject any further.

"The Vicomte wants to put on another performance this weekend."

_Insolent boy!_

"Does he not get it through his thick head that the authorities will not allow the show to progress until they come to a conclusion of what happened tonight? By the time that is over the opera season will be done and won't open until the New Year's Masquerade."

"Apparently not."

"Very well. I shall speak with you some other time-"

"Wait," I stopped from descending down into the cellars. "There is one more thing I would like to talk about."

"Yes?" I hissed.

"In all my years of raising Christine I've never seen her act so…peculiar. Erik she cares about you, but does she know everything-"

"Enough."

"Erik-"

"I said enough." I spat. I knew exactly what she was getting to.

"I just don't want you to get hurt if she sees…and feels differently."

The blood in my veins ran hot, and then I got ever so curious – I swiftly reached up and took off my mask. Madame Giry's eyes closed and her hand flew up to her mouth. I compared this reaction to Christine's when she had took in my image on the roof. Christine rejoiced with the look of my face and made me wonder just how much worse I looked in her reverie. I glared at Antoinette, and as much as I expected this reaction from her it still didn't rid of the small twinge of hurt I felt – and that made me angry.

"Christine has seen this face," I took one step closer when she slightly began to open her eyes. "And stays by her own will." I snarled.

I fastened the mask back onto my face.

"Good." She regained composure. "Then I must also tell you that if you should ever leave her-"

"Leave her? !" I exclaimed.

"I know you! You designate yourself to misery – that is your tendancy. Now that Miss. Daae is in your life by her own choice this will be the first time you must deal with something new and good-"

"I am well aware of the fact." I growled.

"Well then you also know that Christine is no ordinary girl and if you should ever make the choice to leave her in the future to try and resolve some matter then I will never forgive you."

"You doubt my affections for her?"

"Of course not…but I doubt that you will doubt her affections towards you."

I slid the mirror open.

"Goodnight Madame Giry."

She sighed and walked through the passageway.

When I walked down back to the dark depths of my home I felt a strange sense of euphoria emerge from the pit of my stomach and for the first time I looked forward to tomorrow – I looked forward to _something _for the first time in my life.

* * *

**hope you enjoyed this. next chapter will be the epitome of E/C and then we venture into the darker side of Raoul's past. I'm excited for what's coming up next.**


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